How has the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes changed from 2000 to 2021?

• A. It has remained the same
• B. It has doubled
• C. It has tripled
• D. It has decreased

Answer: (C)

The trend being tested is how the number of people living with Type 2 diabetes has grown over time. From 2000 to 2021, the global burden increased dramatically. In 2000, roughly 150–170 million adults were living with diabetes worldwide; by 2021, that number was well over 500 million. That’s about a threefold increase, so describing the prevalence as tripled captures the scale of change. This rise reflects factors such as aging populations, increases in obesity and sedentary lifestyles, urbanization, and also longer survival due to better treatment. While some regions saw larger or smaller increases, the overall global pattern is a substantial, roughly threefold rise in prevalence.