NEW YORK — Health officials say fewer cases of diabetes are being diagnosed in U.S. adults.
Diabetes had been climbing for decades, driven by surging obesity rates. In 2009, the number of new cases reached 1.7 million. But last year, it had dropped to 1.4 million.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the latest numbers Tuesday.
The biggest drops in new case rates were in men, white people, young and middle-aged adults, and in people with more than a high school education. But there have not been substantial declines in other groups, like the elderly and minorities.
Experts say it's not clear why the number of new cases is falling.
