The emerging global epidemic of diabetes can be traced back to rapid increases in overweight, obesity and physical inactivity. If the governments begin now by promoting proven low-cost strategies that alter diet, increase physical activity and modify lifestyle, the epidemic can be reversed.
If nothing is done, healthcare budgets will be unable to pay for the cost of diabetes care, healthcare services will not have the human resources to look after the increased numbers with the disease and in many countries the disease will subvert the gains of economic advancement, Provincial Minister of Bait-ul-Mal Mian Ejaz Shafi, PMS Chairman Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh, renowned physician Dr Israr Hussain Asif, gynecologist Dr Tahira told in a workshop on "diabetes", organised by the Pakistan Medical Society (PMS).
The workshop targeted creating awareness in the primary care providers to enhance their role in diabetic management. "Today more than 240 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. Each year another 7 million people develop diabetes. In many countries in Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and the Caribbean, diabetes affects up to 20 percent of the adult population," they said.
Shafi underlined the fact that diabetes traditionally thought of a disease of aging peoples is now alarmingly spreading to involve children and new strategy needs to be evolved to stop this trend. Diabetes is a global problem with devastating human, social and economic impact.
While diabetes kills as many people as HIV/Aids, awareness of the disease is low and as a consequence the epidemic remains hidden On December 20 2006, even the General Assembly of the United Nations has recognising diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease, he said.
This genetics risk combined with increased urbanisation, high cases of obesity, sedentary lifestyles and stress is resulting in very high rates of diabetes in indigenous communities.
"As a result of the scale of the problem, no single government or region is equipped to tackle it. Countries with the least resources are expected to bear the brunt of the increase in diabetes cases and the burden of the associated costs," he added.
Dr Sheikh said diabetes, if left untreated, was resulting in over one million amputation each year, and is a major cause of blindness "It is the largest cause of kidney failure in developed countries and is responsible for huge dialysis costs," he added.
Of the entire global adult population, more than five percent have diabetes. Diabetes causes 5 percent of all deaths globally each year. Diabetes is primarily a disease of low and middle-income countries.
"The number of people being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is increasing every year, reaching epidemic proportions in some countries. The greatest change is an increased rate of diabetes in children under age five," he said.
Dr Asif said a 30-minute of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days and a healthy diet could drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes and its complications impose significant economic consequences on individuals, families, health systems and countries.