The proportion of diabetic patients in Belgium reached 6.8% of the population in 2021, according to data compiled by Agence InterMutualiste (AIM), which collects data from all health insurance companies.
When the analyses began in 2009, this proportion was still 5.1%. Today, AIM lists a total of 770,000 diabetic patients – a third more than ten years ago.
The increase is notable in all age groups but is particularly pronounced among senior citizens. Almost one in five (18%) of people aged 65 to 74 suffer from some form of diabetes. The disease is more prevalent among men than women.
There is also inequality in socio-economic terms. The number of diagnoses per 100 low-income Belgians is almost double that of their higher-income compatriots.
Regional differences are also striking; in Brussels and Wallonia, more than 21% of people in this older age group suffer from diabetes. In Flanders the figure is just 15.8%.
Experts put forward several factors to explain the rise in the number of diagnoses. The ageing population plays a role, as does our lifestyle. An unhealthy diet and a lack of physical exercise in fact favour certain forms of diabetes.
