By: Alena Wiese
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its National Diabetes Statistics Report on Sept. 16, 2026, counting 40.1 million Americans with diabetes. Florida data show the burden falls unevenly, and nerve damage in the feet is one of the quiet costs.
At a Sunday dinner in South Orlando, a relative may slip off their shoes under the table and rub the ball of a foot that has felt numb for months. Someone else at the table mentions their own tingling toes. In many families, that kind of talk is common enough that nobody treats it as news.
It is news, though. On Sept. 16, 2026, the CDC updated its National Diabetes Statistics Report, estimating that 40.1 million people in the United States, or 12.0 percent of the population, have diabetes. The report estimates that 27.6 percent of adults with diabetes, about 11.0 million people, do not know they have it, and that 115.2 million adults have prediabetes.
The direct answer to the question behind those numbers: yes, diabetes and the nerve damage it can cause weigh more heavily on some communities than others, and much of that damage can be caught earlier with simple foot and nerve checks.
What Did the CDC’s New Report Find?
The CDC’s updated report found that roughly 1 in 8 people in the country has diabetes, with roughly 29.1 million diagnosed and millions more undiagnosed. Among adults 65 and older, the agency estimates 31.3 million people, or 52.1 percent, have prediabetes.
Undiagnosed diabetes matters for nerves. High blood sugar can damage the long nerves to the feet for years before anyone checks, and the National Institutes of Health estimates that up to half of people with diabetes develop peripheral neuropathy. The result can be burning, tingling, or numb feet, poor balance, and, in more serious cases, foot wounds that go unnoticed.
Source: National Diabetes Statistics Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 2026.
Are Black And Hispanic Floridians More Affected By Diabetes?
In Florida, Black adults carry the highest diabetes burden of the major groups the state reports. The Florida Department of Health’s Diabetes Advisory Council reported that in 2022, 18.9 percent of non-Hispanic Black adults in Florida had diabetes, compared with 11.5 percent of non-Hispanic white adults and 10.8 percent of Hispanic adults. Statewide, 12.2 percent of adults, more than 2.1 million people, had diabetes.
The same report found that diabetes death rates for non-Hispanic Black Floridians were higher than for other racial groups across the categories it tracked. Florida spent an estimated $1.134 billion through Medicaid on diabetes care in state fiscal year 2022 to 2023, according to the council.
These are statewide figures. The report does not break out Orange or Osceola counties, and this article does not estimate local rates it could not verify.
Source: Florida Diabetes Advisory Council Legislative Report, Florida Department of Health, January 2025.
Why Do Gaps In Routine Diabetes Care Matter For Neuropathy?
Routine care is where neuropathy is usually found, so gaps in care can mean nerve damage is found late. A peer-reviewed study published May 18, 2026, in Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare analyzed national survey data from 2016 to 2021, including 354,307 people with diabetes. It defined full yearly clinical care as at least two A1C blood sugar tests, one eye exam, and one foot exam.
The results were mixed across groups. Non-Hispanic Black adults completed full clinical care at about the same rate as white adults, 43.0 percent versus 43.3 percent, and had the highest rate of fully completing all four self-care practices, including daily foot checks, at 7.1 percent. Hispanic and Latino adults completed full clinical care at 28.5 percent, and Pacific Islander adults at 27.2 percent.
Those numbers point in two directions. Access gaps are real for some communities, and full self-care was rare in every group. The study’s lowest full self-care rate, 1.2 percent, was among Asian American adults.
Source: Racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes-related healthcare service use, Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare, May 2026.
What Do These Numbers Not Tell Us?
These numbers do not show how many people in Orlando or Kissimmee have neuropathy. The CDC report counts diabetes, not nerve damage, and the Florida report does not track neuropathy or foot exams. National estimates can hide wide differences between neighborhoods.
The Frontiers study relied on self-reported survey answers, lacked information on diabetes type and duration, and did not separate subgroups such as Caribbean-born Black adults or Puerto Rican and Mexican American adults. Those groups can have very different health histories. Race and ethnicity also are not causes by themselves; researchers generally point to access, cost, language, neighborhood conditions, and trust in the health system as factors worth studying.
Where Can South Orlando And Kissimmee Residents Get Their Feet And Nerves Checked?
A primary care doctor or community health center should be the first stop for anyone who has not been tested for diabetes, since blood tests are how it is diagnosed. For people who already know they have diabetes and are dealing with burning, tingling, or numb feet, a musculoskeletal and nerve evaluation can be one part of a wider care team.
ReliefNow Laser Orlando, 4170 Town Center Blvd., Suite 100, Orlando, 407-857-6166, serves Orlando and Kissimmee in south Orange County and Osceola County. Its page lists peripheral neuropathy among the conditions it addresses, and its chiropractors include Dr. Jeff Shebovsky, Dr. Fernando Fernandez, and Dr. Kurt Virgin.
Dr. Jeffrey N. Shebovsky, DC, founded Orange Wellness in 1994 and has more than 30 years of clinical experience. Evaluation comes first. A careful nerve exam typically includes checking sensation with a monofilament, vibration and reflexes, looking at the skin and footwear, and ruling out a back or disc problem that can mimic neuropathy. Conservative care may fit people with stable symptoms who are also working with their medical doctor on blood sugar. It is not appropriate as the first step for an open foot wound, signs of infection, a foot that is suddenly red, hot, and swollen, or new weakness, all of which call for prompt medical care. Progress is tracked with pain scores, repeat sensation tests, balance measures, and daily function.
Closing The Gap, One Visit At A Time
Numbers like 40.1 million can feel far away from a dinner table in Orlando. The steps that matter most are close to home: getting tested, keeping the yearly foot exam, looking at both feet each night, and bringing a family member along when symptoms change. Communities that have carried more than their share of diabetes also have deep habits of looking out for one another, and that may be the most useful tool on this list.
About the expert: Dr. Jeffrey N. Shebovsky, DC | ReliefNow® Laser Orlando | 4170 Town Center Blvd., Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32837 | 407-857-6166 |
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any treatment program.
