Diabetes cases surge despite other gains
Posted December 22, 2025 4:55 pm.
Last Updated December 22, 2025 7:25 pm.
The rates of heart attacks, strokes, and other chronic diseases are declining in Manitoba, according to a recent report by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP). But it highlights an alarming trend — diabetes rates are soaring.
“We are seeing both an increase in the percentage of the population that we’ve identified as living with diabetes, as well as new cases that are occurring in the province,” said Lindsey Dahl, an epidemiologist with MCHP.
“For many of the chronic conditions, we are seeing improvement. So things like osteoporosis, arthritis, respiratory morbidity-type conditions, hypertension, and heart disease — these types of things are improving. And the one that kind of stands out is diabetes.”
Dahl says the report shows that type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed at an earlier age in recent years. She says genetics and lifestyles contribute significantly to the onset of type 2 diabetes later in life, while socioeconomic indicators influence the ability to manage the chronic condition.
“While we didn’t look at it specifically, there is evidence of type 2 diabetes, in particular, being diagnosed much earlier as well. So that increase in rates would be contributing to why we may be seeing this rise in numbers,” Dahl explained.
The report does not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with results mostly reflecting type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and researchers say this diagnosis is not intertwined with lifestyle choices.
“Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune. People can’t really predict if they are going to get it. In our family, we had no history of diabetes, and our child was diagnosed with type 1, which came as a surprise,” said Trevor Kirczenow, a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes.
Kirczenow says the types of diabetes are commonly not distinguished from each other. Adding, this creates a lot of stigma toward people with type 1 diabetes.
“Two months after my son was diagnosed at age eight, another child said to him, ‘You must have gotten diabetes because you ate too much candy,’ and it’s hard when people say things like that,” said Kirczenow.
Diabetes Canada also sees the increase in diabetes diagnoses and calls it a concerning trend.
“It’s always tough to see when more and more people are diagnosed with this chronic condition. Unfortunately, it’s not just reflective of Manitoba, but across every province and territory in this country. It also reflects the increase we are seeing around the world,” said Glenn Thibeault, the executive director of government affairs, advocacy, and policy.
