[Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Netherlands more than doubled in the period 1999-2014].

OBJECTIVE

To study the trend in the prevalence of diabetes in the Netherlands during the period 1999-2014.

DESIGN

Descriptive study of prevalence.

METHODS

The prevalence of diabetes during the period 1999-2014 was calculated on the basis of data from the PHARMO Database Network, a network of electronic databases that includes data from public pharmacies for 3.8 million residents of the Netherlands. A person with diabetes was defined as someone with at least two dispensings for a glucose lowering-drug within six months. Prevalence was adjusted for variation in age demographics per sex to investigate the influence of these variations on population demographics.

RESULTS

The prevalence of diabetes in the Netherlands increased from 1.8% in 1999 to 4.9% in 2014. The increase was more pronounced among men as age increased. Only half of the increase was explained by changes in age demographics per sex.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that the prevalence of diabetes more than doubled during the period 1999-2014. This trend can only be partly explained by changes in age demographics per sex.