New Report Highlights Stark Diabetes Inequities Among New Yorkers

Health Department Finds Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, And Latino New Yorkers Have Nearly Twice The Diabetes Prevalence Rate Of White New Yorkers

Policies Can Improve Awareness And Monitoring Of Blood Sugar Levels, Helping New Yorkers Better Prevent And Manage the Disease

May 16, 2025 — A report released today by the New York City Health Department underscores the significant and inequitable burden of diabetes on adult New Yorkers. “Diabetes and Health Inequities among New York City Adults” reveals substantial inequities in diabetes prevalence, blood sugar management, and diabetes-related amputations across racial and ethnic groups and by neighborhood and by poverty levels.

"As someone who faced a type 2 diabetes diagnosis and who was on the verge of losing my eyesight, helping others who are struggling with chronic diseases is deeply personal for me," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "This report shows what many of us have experienced in our own lives: diabetes is far too common factor, especially among Black, Brown, and Asian communities as well as in low-income neighborhoods. That’s why, under our administration, the Health Department has worked to address these inequities through a citywide diabetes reduction plan and we have launched our ‘HealthyNYC’ campaign to expand the life expectancy of New Yorkers. In an effort to support healthier lives, we must provide all of our city’s residents with access to high-quality health care, food, resources, and supports."

“Chronic diseases like diabetes are a leading cause of premature death in New York City, that disproportionately affect communities of color and New Yorkers with low incomes. These differences are stark and unacceptable,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “The Health Department’s goals to address chronic disease and advance health equity are also personal for me and my family members who have suffered through chronic diseases The Health Department is working to make it easier for ALL New Yorkers to equitably have access to the lifesaving resources they need to become and stay healthy.”

“As Chair of the Health Committee, I am proud to have championed legislation that created the first citywide type-2 diabetes reduction plan,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman. “This report highlights the continued urgency to address the alarming and inequitable burden of diabetes on New Yorkers, particularly within communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. A lot more work needs to be done and we must continue to invest in comprehensive, community-based prevention, education, and care strategies to reduce diabetes rates and improve health outcomes. I commend the Health Department for its ongoing efforts to address these disparities, and I remain committed to advocating for policies that promote health equity for all New Yorkers.”

Report Findings

In 2022, approximately 800,000 adults in New York City, representing over 11% of the adult population, were living with diabetes. This prevalence varied significantly by age, with 3% among adults aged 18-44, 17% among those aged 45-64, and 26% among adults 65 and older. In 2022, 13% of Asian/Pacific Islander, 14% of Black, and 14% of Latino New Yorkers had diabetes, nearly twice the prevalence rate of 7% among white New Yorkers. Furthermore, residents in very high poverty neighborhoods had a diabetes prevalence of 15%, almost double the 8% prevalence in low poverty neighborhoods. By borough, the Bronx (15%), Queens (12%), and Brooklyn (12%) had higher diabetes prevalence than Manhattan.

The inequities were even more pronounced in the rates of diabetes-related lower extremity amputations (LEAs). In 2022, over 3,100 New Yorkers underwent these procedures. The rate of diabetes-related LEAs was more than twice as high among Black (63 per 100,000) and Latino (53 per 100,000) New Yorkers compared to white New Yorkers (24 per 100,000). Residents of very high poverty neighborhoods experienced a rate of 82 per 100,000, three times higher than the rate in low poverty neighborhoods (27 per 100,000). Additionally, the rate of diabetes-related LEAs was 71 per 100,000 among male adults, 3.4 times higher than the rate of 21 per 100,000 among female adults.

These findings underscore the profound impact of disinvestment from marginalized communities, that have led to unjust diabetes outcomes in New York City. Diabetes inequities are among the consequence of systemic racism, poverty, housing instability, and nutrition access. Such inequitable patterns limit one’s ability to access needed resources and life-saving care.

How NYC Is Responding

The NYC Health Department is working to address these inequities through the Citywide Diabetes Reduction Plan, which includes strategies to prevent diabetes and increase the proportion of adults with well-managed diabetes in disproportionally impacted neighborhoods and communities. This plan aligns with the HealthyNYC campaign and the Chronic Disease Strategy for New York City, focusing on factors influencing diabetes.

Key diabetes-related initiatives led by the NYC Health Department in 2024 included expanding community diabetes education and peer support; increasing access to healthy foods and nutrition education; supporting primary care providers in early detection, prevention and treatment, strengthening the community-based workforce for increased outreach, and advocating for policy changes. Looking ahead to 2025, the NYC Health Department will continue its work to reduce the burden of diabetes by leveraging data modernization efforts, setting benchmarks for diabetes interventions, and collaborating with New York State to integrate medical and social service data to improve diabetes care.

The Health Department is advocating for policies that ensure cost saving measures that improve patient outcomes are reimbursed by Medicaid and Medicare. The Health Department is also working closely with New York State to support community organizations in addressing health-related social needs including support for housing, transportation, and food, as part of the Social Care Networks 1115 Waiver.

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MEDIA CONTACT: PressOffice@health.nyc.gov