A major new study has revealed that autoimmune diseases are far more common than we thought — affecting around 1 in 10 people globally. This discovery is sparking fresh conversations about what causes these diseases and how we can better prevent and treat them.
Researchers looked at health records from over 22 million people in the UK, making it the largest study of its kind to date. They focused on 19 of the most common autoimmune disorders, including type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
What Are Autoimmune Diseases?
In simple terms, autoimmune diseases happen when your immune system, which normally fights off infections, mistakenly attacks healthy parts of your body. There are over 80 known types, and they can affect everything from your skin and joints to your organs.
Key Findings
One in ten people are affected by autoimmune conditions. That breaks down to about 13% of women and 7% of men.
Women are nearly twice as likely to develop these conditions compared to men.
Some diseases, like type 1 diabetes, are becoming more common, raising concerns about environmental or lifestyle-related triggers.
People from different regions and economic backgrounds showed different risks, suggesting that it's not all in the genes — our surroundings and daily habits might play a bigger role than we realized.
Having one autoimmune disease increases the chance of developing another. For example, someone with a thyroid disorder might also develop type 1 diabetes or lupus.
What Makes This Study Important?
Most past studies were smaller and focused on just a handful of conditions. This one pulls together data on millions of people and looks at a wide range of factors — like where they live, the time of year they were diagnosed, and their income levels.
It also showed that some diseases tend to appear together more often than expected, which could mean they share common causes like genetics or environmental triggers. Interestingly, multiple sclerosis stood out as being quite different — people with MS were less likely to have another autoimmune condition.
Why It Matters
Autoimmune diseases can be lifelong, and many are still poorly understood. This study helps highlight just how big of a problem they are, not just for individuals but for society as a whole.
Experts say this data should guide future research — especially into what triggers these diseases and how we might prevent them. It also points to the need for more support, awareness, and resources to help those living with autoimmune conditions.
As Professor Iain McInnes from the University of Glasgow put it, “These conditions pose a huge burden on individuals and upon wider society and currently represent an enormous unmet clinical need.”
What’s Next?
Researchers hope this work will lead to more targeted treatments and possibly even ways to prevent these diseases before they start. The hope is to better understand how things like pollution, diet, stress, and infections might play a role.
You can read the full study in The Lancet: “Incidence, prevalence, and co-occurrence of autoimmune disorders over time and by age, sex, and socioeconomic status: a population-based cohort study of 22 million individuals in the UK.”
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