US diabetes deaths have dropped to their lowest rates in years, according to the CDC. The 2024 rate of 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people is down from a peak of 31.1 in 2021, a surge linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the decrease is positive, rates haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels. Experts note complexities in analyzing long-term trends due to evolving definitions and coding practices on death certificates, where diabetes may be listed as a contributing factor rather than the primary cause.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.