[Disease burden on diabetes in China, 2010]

To estimate the disease burden of diabetes in China, 2010.

We calculated the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) of diabetes, using data from both the Mortality Surveillance in National Disease Surveillance Points System and the China Chronic Disease Surveillance (2010). We also examined the differences of DALYs by gender, age, urban/rural areas and geographical locations.

The overall disease burden of diabetes was 19.12 DALYs per 1000 population. Men (18.30 DALYs per 1000) had a higher DALY rate than in women (19.97 DALYs per 1000). We observed an upside-down "U" relationship between DALY rate and age. Residents aged 15 - 79 years bore most part of disease burden and the burden peaked among population at age from 45 to 60 years (30.39 DALYs per 1000). There was a higher DALY rate seen in the population from the urban areas (17.83 DALYs per 1000) than those from the rural areas (17.03 DALYs per 1000). In order, the burden showed a decrease from the eastern region (22.28 DALYs per 1000), middle region (19.62 DALYs per 1000) to the western region (13.54 DALYs per 1000), in the country.

China is currently carrying considerable burden caused by diabetes among the population of labor force while inequity of burden was seen among different geographical regions within China.