Surge expected in diabetes cases, cost

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CHICAGO, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Diabetes cases are expected to nearly double and the cost nearly triple in the United States in the next 25 years, researchers say in a new study.

The study, published Friday by researchers based at the University of Chicago in the journal Diabetes Care, found the number of people with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes will climb from some 24 million this year to about 44 million in 2034, The Chicago Tribune said.

In the same period, annual diabetes-related treatment costs are expected to increase from $113 billion to $336 billion in 2007 dollars.

Further, medicare spending on diabetes is expected to jump from $45 billion to $171 billion and could exceed current projections for all Medicare costs, the researchers said.

Much of the increase in cases and costs will be spurred by aging baby boomers, the 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1957.