The majority of people studied in every state, including the District of Columbia, were not in control of their blood sugar levels, indicating there is significant room for improvement in diabetes management.

From 2003 to 2004, two out of three Americans with type 2 diabetes, analyzed in a study of more than 157,000 patients, were not in control of their blood sugar, failing to meet the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' target A1C goal of 6.5% or less, according to a report released today by AACE.

Universal Problem

In addition, a state-by-state ranking of blood sugar control shows that the majority of people studied in every state, including the District of Columbia, were not in control of their blood sugar levels, indicating there is significant room for improvement in diabetes management.

The new report, "State of Diabetes in America," was presented at AACE's 14th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress.

More than 18 million Americans are affected by diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, accounts for 90 to 95% of all diagnosed diabetes cases.

Wake-Up Call

"Despite major advances in diabetes care and the variety of tools available to help people with type 2 diabetes manage the condition, this report suggests that America's type 2 diabetes population is struggling to control their blood sugar levels and affirms the outcomes from our recent Implementation Consensus Conference," said Carlos R. Hamilton, Jr., M.D., FACE, president of AACE, an organization of endocrinologists who are medical experts in treating diabetes.

"Type 2 diabetes is of urgent concern and these findings must serve as a wake-up call for America that more needs to be done to help lower A1C levels across the country and ultimately, manage this epidemic," Dr. Hamilton added.