Whether or not a diabetic’s life expectancy will be shortened is really just a matter of “What does diabetes cost a sugar addict?” What affects the long-term quality of life and longevity of diabetics are the complications that come with it. Therefore, simply living is no longer the goal of diabetics, but living with quality is what they should be looking for. Diabetes is one of the current non-communicable diseases that threaten human health worldwide and is certainly one of the leading causes of death in the world. Diabetes not only causes mental and physical damage and shortens the life span of the affected individual, but also imposes a heavy economic burden on the family and society. What exactly is the cost of diabetes to the diabetic? As early as 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the Diabetes Cost Scale, based on comprehensive research in countries around the world. It reflects the serious impact of diabetes on the quality of life of the patient and family, and the cost of treating and controlling it. Many people may be unfamiliar with the diabetes cost table, but the ironclad data is something we can’t deny! The following data are compiled from the China Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Control Guidelines (2013 Edition) Compared to a normoglycemic population, people with diabetes have one times more days in the hospital, 2.5 times more visits, and 2.4 times more medical expenses. Patients with diabetes who have had the disease for more than 10 years have nearly 3 times more medical costs compared to those who have had the disease for less than 5 years. The CDS Diabetes Chronic Complications Survey Group reported that the prevalence of complications among type 2 diabetic patients hospitalized in tertiary hospitals were 34.2% for hypertension, 12.6% for cerebrovascular disease, 17.1% for cardiovascular disease, and 5.2% for lower limb vascular disease. The medical expenses required for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases account for the most significant part of the medical expenses for diabetes. The relative risk of lower extremity amputation in diabetic patients is 40 times greater than in non-diabetic patients. Approximately 85% of amputations are caused by foot ulcers. Retinopathy occurs in 20-40% of adults with type 2 diabetes and 8% have vision loss. 34.7% of type 2 diabetes is complicated by nephropathy. Sometimes the impact on quality of life is even more troubling than the impact on life expectancy, and most people with type 2 diabetes are caused by obesity. Many endocrinologists also recommend that patients with moderate obesity who have type 2 diabetes first reduce their weight to better control their blood sugar. Whichever method we choose to control our blood sugar, our ultimate goal is to improve our quality of life.