Diabetes was declared a global threat to humanity by the United Nations as the first disease not triggered by an infection.

In Germany, about 8.5 million people suffer from diabetes. According to estimates, about 2 million people live with undiagnosed diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is subdivided into several forms of diabetes. Common to all forms at new onset is high blood sugar or Hyperglycemia. The most common types of diabetes are diabetes mellitus type 1, diabetes mellitus type 2 and gestational diabetes. In addition, there are other specific forms that occur less frequently.

The number of people with type 2 diabetes in Germany will continue to rise over the next twenty years. Researchers at the DZD estimate that up to twelve million people could suffer from the metabolic disease by 2040.

The sharp increase not only in type 2 diabetes in the aging population, but also in type 1 diabetes, poses major challenges for the German healthcare system in the coming years.