Diabetes mellitus mortality in the United States - 1950-67

Diabetes mellitus affects an estimated 4.4 million persons in the United States; of these, more than 1.6 million are not aware that they have the disease: Furthermore, mortality and morbidity from diabetes mellitus are often associated with other chronic conditions in a causal or contributory manner. In 1967, there were 35,049 deaths attributed to diabetes as the underlying cause; this was 7,869 more deaths than 10 years earlier and about 11,000 more than in 1950. The number of persons dying with diabetes mellitus as a contributory condition is not routinely available, but an estimated 51,000 additional deaths may be involved (see table 3 in reference 2).