About 30 million people in the United States have diabetes, a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. Between 90 and 95% of people with diabetes have type 2, which can develop at any age.*
From a review of studies analysing hearing loss and diabetes between 1974 and 2013, researchers concluded that people with diabetes were twice as likely to have hearing loss than people without diabetes. However, these researchers did note several limitations, such as the data being based on observational studies. In a study of US adults, researchers discovered a higher rate of hearing loss was found in adults with diabetes.**
Hearing loss is a common problem caused by aging, disease, heredity, and noise. 17% of American adults report some degree of hearing loss.
