All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Doctors have identified a disease that shortens life by nine years
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
">According to the results of large-scale experiments that were conducted in China, it was discovered that patients with diabetes, due to the characteristics of the disease, lose approximately 9 years of their lives.
The corresponding conclusions of experts can be found on the pages of the scientific periodical JAMA.
Recently, diabetes has become one of the main medical problems in China, as the incidence of the disease has exceeded previous figures by almost four times. According to statistics, at least a hundred million patients currently suffer from diabetes. Taking this into account, a group of scientists led by Doctor of Sciences Chen Zhenming (University of Oxford) conducted a study of the ratio of diabetes incidence and overall mortality in China. The scientists examined the medical records of at least half a million patients aged 30-79 years, who lived in five city districts and five rural areas, respectively. Their health status was monitored continuously for ten years. The participants in the experiment included people with various health problems: in particular, 6% of them suffered from diabetes.
The results of the experiment showed that patients suffering from diabetes did not live to a certain age and died 50% more often than other participants. At the same time, higher mortality was noted among residents of rural areas of the country.
Scientists have determined that mortality from diabetes exceeded the percentage of mortality from heart failure, cerebrovascular accidents, kidney disease, liver disease, malignant neoplasms in the mammary gland or pancreas, as well as infectious and inflammatory diseases.
In addition, experts made an additional, but no less important conclusion: the greatest number of deaths from diabetes were caused by acute complications of the disease.
It has also been estimated that people with diabetes who live in rural areas of China have a reduced life expectancy of about ten years. City dwellers diagnosed with the disease live an average of eight years less.
"Along with the rapid spread of diabetes among young and middle-aged people, it can be assumed that the mortality rate will most likely only increase. A positive forecast is possible only if the government undertakes specific preventive measures. This is the only way to try to stop and further control the incidence of the disease among the country's population," the authors of the study comment on the results of the study.
According to world statistics, currently about 2-3% of the world's population suffers from diabetes. The total number of patients with this disease in the world is about 400 million people. At the same time, three new cases of diabetes are recorded every 10 seconds.
Every year, up to 4.5 million patients die as a result of diabetic complications.
[