New 2014 data released Tuesday by the CDC confirms the gradual decline in the rate of new diabetes cases in the last few years is statistically meaningful, marking a first in decades for the U.S., according to The New York Times.
From 2009 to 2014, the incidence of new cases among U.S. adults ages 18 to 79 declined about 20 percent, according to the CDC. At an age-adjusted incidence of 6.6 diagnosed cases per 1,000 people, the 2014 rate is still nearly double that of 1991, when the age-adjusted rate of new cases was 3.5 per 1,000.
According to The New York Times, it is unclear if diabetes prevention is behind this drop in new cases, or if diabetes has hit its peak in the population. However, the report does note the new CDC data is in line with evidence Americans are starting to be more health conscious, improving both eating and exercise.
Experts also told The New York Times improvement is uneven, with more educated populations showing greater improvement in diabetes prevention than less educated populations. The data also indicates the decline in cases is statistically significant among white Americans, but not yet statistically significant for black or Hispanic populations, according to the report.
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