Diabetes Cases Reach 960,000 in Portugal
📌 Key Highlights & Context
- Alentejo has the highest diabetes prevalence at 10.6%.
- 70,400 new diabetes diagnoses were made in 2025, an increase of 23,055 from 2024.
- Screenings show 17.2% at moderate, 13.4% at high and 1.1% at very high risk of developing type‑2 diabetes.
According to the Directorate‑General for Health (DGS), Portugal registered almost 70,400 new diabetes cases in 2025, raising the total number of patients registered with the SNS to 960,064. This represents an increase of 23,055 cases compared with 2024 and means that 8.9% of all SNS patients now receive primary care for diabetes.
Sónia do Vale, director of the 2026 National Diabetes Programme Report, warned that more than 14% of the population aged 20‑79 is estimated to have diabetes and that many cases remain undiagnosed. She stressed that early detection is essential to treat patients before complications develop.
Prevalence varies across regions: Alentejo records the highest proportion at 10.6%, followed by the North (9.9%), the Centre (9.6%), Lisbon and the Tagus Valley (7.6%) and the Algarve (7.4%). The report also notes over 24,000 people living with type‑1 diabetes, including 3,161 under age 20, with stable new registrations in children up to 14 and a decline among those aged 15‑19.