Diabetes Rates by Continent (2026)
Diabetes rates vary widely across the world, and continent-level comparisons help show where the adult diabetes burden is highest and lowest. This page ranks continents by estimated diabetes prevalence, showing the share of adults living with diabetes across each region.
Using the latest available data, the ranking compares diabetes prevalence across Oceania, Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and Africa.
Diabetes Rates by Continent Rankings
| # | Continent | Est. Diabetes Prevention (%) | Countries | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🌊Oceania |
18.54% | 17 | % |
| 2 | 🌏Asia |
11.89% | 51 | % |
| 3 | 🌎North America |
11.02% | 29 | % |
| 4 | 🌎South America |
9.66% | 12 | % |
| 5 | 🌍Europe |
7.83% | 46 | % |
| 6 | 🌍Africa |
7.34% | 55 | % |
Key Findings
Oceania Has the Highest Diabetes Rate by Continent
- Oceania ranks #1 with an estimated diabetes prevalence of 18.51%.
- It is followed by Asia (11.89%), North America (11.02%), South America (9.66%), and Europe (7.83%).
Oceania Stands Well Above Every Other Continent
- Oceania’s diabetes prevalence of 18.51% is far higher than the global continent ranking average and clearly above every other region in this dataset.
- This reflects the very high diabetes burden seen in several Pacific island countries and territories.
Asia Has the Highest Diabetes Burden Among Large Continents
- Asia ranks #2 with an estimated diabetes prevalence of 11.89% across 51 countries.
- Because Asia also has the world’s largest population, it carries a major share of the global diabetes burden.
North and South America Sit in the Middle of the Ranking
- North America (11.02%) ranks just behind Asia, while South America (9.66%) also remains above both Europe and Africa.
- This shows that the Americas overall have a higher continent-level diabetes prevalence than Europe and Africa in this dataset.
Europe and Africa Have the Lowest Diabetes Rates by Continent
- Europe (7.83%) and Africa (7.33%) rank at the bottom of the continent comparison.
- Africa has the lowest estimated diabetes prevalence of all continents included in this dataset.
About Diabetes Rates by Continent
Diabetes rates by continent compare the estimated share of adults living with diabetes across the world’s major regions. Instead of ranking countries by total diabetes cases, this page focuses on continent-level diabetes prevalence, which shows the percentage of adults affected in each continent.
In this dataset, Oceania has the highest estimated diabetes prevalence at 18.51%, followed by Asia (11.89%) and North America (11.02%). At the other end of the ranking, Europe (7.83%) and Africa (7.33%) have the lowest continent-level diabetes prevalence in this dataset.
These continent averages help show broad regional patterns, but they do not mean every country in a continent has the same diabetes burden. Some continents include countries with very high diabetes prevalence alongside others with much lower rates.
Diabetes Rates by Continent
Definitions & Methodology
What do diabetes rates by continent measure?
This page compares the estimated diabetes prevalence rate of each continent. The value shows the percentage of adults living with diabetes across the countries included in that continent.
How are continents ranked?
Continents are ranked from highest to lowest by estimated diabetes prevalence. A higher percentage means a larger share of adults are living with diabetes in that region.
What does the percentage represent?
The percentage represents the estimated share of adults with diabetes in that continent. For example, 18.51% means about 18.51 out of every 100 adults in Oceania are estimated to be living with diabetes.
Why can continent averages hide large country differences?
Each continent includes countries with very different health profiles, lifestyles, age structures, and healthcare systems. As a result, a continent average is useful for regional comparison, but it does not show the full variation between individual countries.
Sources
Diabetes Rates by Continent FAQs
Which continent has the highest diabetes rate?
Oceania has the highest estimated diabetes prevalence in this dataset at 18.51%, followed by Asia and North America.
Which continent has the lowest diabetes rate?
Africa has the lowest estimated diabetes prevalence in this dataset at 7.33%, slightly below Europe at 7.83%.
Why does Oceania rank first for diabetes prevalence?
Oceania ranks first because several Pacific island countries and territories have very high diabetes prevalence rates, which pushes the continent average higher than every other region in this dataset.
Does Asia have the largest diabetes burden overall?
Yes. Asia ranks second by prevalence in this continent comparison, but because it also has the world’s largest population, it carries a very large share of the global diabetes burden.
What does diabetes prevalence by continent mean?
Diabetes prevalence by continent means the estimated percentage of adults living with diabetes across the countries included in that region.