By what percentage is depression increased with type 2 diabetes?

• A. 10% increase
• B. 20% increase
• C. 30% increase
• D. 40% increase

Answer: (B)

The important idea here is that type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing depression. On average, studies estimate about a 20% higher risk or prevalence of depressive symptoms in adults with type 2 diabetes compared with those without diabetes. So, the rise is modest but meaningful: it means if the baseline rate of depression is certain, it would be roughly 1.2 times that rate in people with type 2 diabetes. This magnitude matters clinically because depression can impair motivation, adherence to treatment, and lifestyle changes, which in turn can worsen diabetes control. While some populations show larger or smaller increases, the commonly cited figure is around a 20% increase.