The number of diabetes patients worldwide, currently 529 million people, and expected to double to 1.3 billion in the next 30 years, according to a new study published in the prestigious medical journal "The Lancet" by researchers from the University of Washington.
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The researchers relied on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 report, which included information from 204 countries, across 25 age groups, for males and females separately and combined.
According to the report, the global prevalence of diabetes stands at 6.1% of the population, making it one of the top ten leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The highest prevalence of diabetes, at 9.3%, is found in North Africa and the Middle East, and this number is expected to rise to 16.8% by 2050. The prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to reach 11.3%.
Diabetes is particularly prominent among people aged 65-95 globally, with a prevalence rate exceeding 20% in this age group. The highest prevalence rate was 24.4% among individuals aged 75 to 79. The highest rate of patients in this age group was found in North Africa and the Middle East at 39.4%, while the lowest rate was found in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia at 19.8%.
Nearly all cases of the disease - 96%, were of type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes. The main risk factor for the disease was obesity, followed by other factors such as lack of physical activity, alcohol consumption, and an imbalanced diet.
Professor Naim Shehadeh, Director of the Institute of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism at Rambam Health Care Campus, said, "Diabetes is a global epidemic and is also on the rise here in Israel. Unlike in the past, today we have more sedentary behavior, unbalanced nutrition, increased exposure to screens, and higher consumption of sugary beverages, all along with genetic predisposition and other contributing factors, leading to one of the most taxing diseases on healthcare systems worldwide, increasing the risk of severe illness and death."
Diabetes is defined as a fasting blood sugar level of 126 or higher, after an 8-hour fast. A normal blood sugar level is below 100, while values between 100 and 126 indicate a prediabetic condition. "Around one and a half million people in Israel fall within this range," explained Professor Shehadeh, "most of whom are unaware of it, and among them, approximately 6% to 8% or 80,000 are diagnosed with diabetes each year. This is a very alarming number.
"The government and the Ministry of Health must urgently intervene and promote a healthy lifestyle, a change in lifestyle, encourage physical activity, and prevent obesity. Diabetes not only poses an increased risk of serious diseases in the whole body, including a very high risk of limb amputation, stroke, and heart attacks, but it also places a heavy burden on the healthcare system, costing an average of 20,000 shekels per patient per year. There is no doubt that the situation is highly concerning, especially considering the updated statistics indicating an expected doubling of the number of patients worldwide within three decades."