Prevalence of known diabetes and antidiabetic therapy between 1984/1985 and 1999/2001 in southern Germany.

B etween 1995 and 2025 the prevalence of diabetes is projected to rise from 135 million to 300 million affected worldwide, with the most dramatic increase occurring in developing countries; most of these cases will be type 2 diabetes (1). The highest prevalences are seen in populations with heightened genetic susceptibility, high caloric intake, reduced physical activity, and a subsequent progressive rise in overweight and obesity (2). The aim of the present study is to show the prevalence of known diabetes as well as the antidiabetic treatment over the period 1984/1985 to 1999/2001 using the data of four surveys of independent representative samples of a 25to 74-year-old population of Southern Germany.