Source of Data

The estimated percentages and the total number of people over the age of 30 with type 2 diabetes were determined using the information from the National Health Information Database from January 2002 through to December 2013 made by National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).

Definition of Diabetes

› Diagnosis of diabetes was based on the disease-classification codes from the health insurance claim forms and database on Health Screening Service.
› When the database on Health Screening Service was used, diabetes was diagnosed based on fasting glucose (≥ 126 mg/dL).
› When the database on health insurance claim forms was used, type 2 diabetes was defined based on ICD-10 code (E11-E14) and prescription of antidiabetic medications.

Summary

› About 2.7 million Korean people (8.03%) aged 30 years or older had type 2 diabetes in 2013. Based on fasting glucose level, 25.0% of adults had prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose).
› 62.5% of subjects with type 2 diabetes had hypertension and were being treated with antihypertensive medication, which was 3.7-fold higher compared with adults without diabetes in 2013.