U.S. diabetes up 3 million in two years

ATLANTA, June 24 (UPI) -- Nearly 24 million people in the United States have diabetes, an increase of more than 3 million in about two years, U.S. officials said.

The 2007 prevalence data estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said that another 57 million people are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts people at increased risk for diabetes.

"These new estimates have both good news and bad news," Ann Albright, director of the CDC division of diabetes translation, said in a statement. "It is concerning to know that we have more people developing diabetes, and these data are a reminder of the importance of increasing awareness of this condition, especially among people who are at high risk."

The data also indicated that those who don't know they have the disease decreased from 30 percent to 25 percent over a two-year period.

Diabetes increased in both men and women and in all age groups but still disproportionately affects the elderly. Almost 25 percent of the population 60 years and older had diabetes in 2007.