Challenging the future: the Global Prevention Alliance

Diabetes is a major public health problem that is approaching epidemic proportions globally. Worldwide, the prevalence of chronic, noncommunicable diseases is increasing at an alarming rate. About 18 million people die every year from cardiovascular disease, for which diabetes and hypertension are major predisposing factors. Today, more than 1.7 billion adults worldwide are overweight, and 312 million of them are obese. In addition, at least 155 million children worldwide are overweight or obese. A diabetes epidemic is underway. According to an estimate of International Diabetes Federation comparative prevalence of Diabetes during 2007 is 8.0 % and likely to increase to 7.3% by 2025. Number of people with diabetes is 246 million (with 46% of all those affected in the 40-59 age group) and likely to increase to 380 m by 2025. The comparative prevalence of IGT is 7.5% in 2007 and likely to go up to 6.0 by 2025. The number of people with IGT is 308 million in 2007 and likely to be 418 m by 2025.

Oman Medical Journal

Diabetes & metabolic syndrome

Diabetes remains asymptomatic for a long period of time and its real burden gets noticed only once the complications set in. The number of individuals affected with the disease is also on the rise and more so in the low income countries. This scenario calls for urgent precautionary measures that need to be undertaken to equip ourselves to fight against this chronic disease. Individuals with financial constraints cannot afford to access even the basic treatment facilities and thus stands the most burdened. The International Diabetes Federation calls for 'Eyes on Diabetes' for the society to focus on early screening and early intervention. The rising cost of diabetes results from delayed and denied treatment. The panel discussion organized as a part of 4th Annual global diabetes convention of Jothydev's Professional Education Forum (JPEF, 2016) facilitated a platform to address diabetes as a serious health concern that needs to be given immediate priority by the policymake...

Diabetes Management, 2012

2015

INTRODUCTION On the whole, people are healthier, wealthier and live longer than 30 years ago but the nature of health problems is changing. Healthy life years may be not increasing in line with life expectancy: along with demographic change and population ageing, the burden of chronic diseases increases, individuals present with complex symptoms and multiple illnesses, and the substantial progress in health is deeply unequal [1]. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are becoming the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, and the four major NCDs, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes, are responsible for 82% of NCD deaths [2]. Diabetes is often considered as a paradigmatic example of a chronic disease. It is a common and serious disease: diabetes increases the risk for many serious health problems (e.g., hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, eye problems, neuropathy, foot complications, nephropathy), but can be prevented and effectively controlled using ...

The Medical journal of Australia, 2015

Diabetes mellitus and its complications are common; the complications are, of themselves, a major reason to manage diabetes. Recent data from Australia and similar developed health care systems overseas indicate that morbidity and mortality outcomes relating to diabetes complications are improving. However, these benefits are offset by increasing numbers of people diagnosed with diabetes, resulting in an increased disease burden with significant health care implications. Thus the imperative to prevent diabetes and diabetes complications has never been greater. Furthermore, the recognised spectrum of diabetes complications is broadening, especially complications relating to lipid levels, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Clinicians now need to be aware of both traditional complications (eg, nephropathy and cardiovascular disease) and non-traditional complications (eg, polycystic ovary syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, some cancers and eating disorders). Compli...

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2019

Diabetes is on the rise worldwide, with a global prevalence in adults in 2017 being 8.8% of the world population, with the anticipation of a further increase to 9.9% by 2045. In total numbers, this reflects a population of 424.9 million people with diabetes worldwide in 2017, with an estimate of a 48% increase to 628.6 million people by 2045. Depending on age, global diabetes prevalence is about 5%, 10%, 15% and close to 20%, respectively, for the age groups 35–39, 45–49, 55–59 and 65–69 years. On a global scale, diabetes hits particularly ‘middle aged’ people between 40 and 59 years, which causes serious economic and social implications. Furthermore, diabetes affects especially low and middle income countries, as 77% of all people with diabetes worldwide live in those countries. In addition to overt diabetes, an estimated 352.1 million people worldwide are at risk of diabetes, i.e. have defined pre-diabetes, a figure which is anticipated to rise to 531.6 million by 2045. Some 70–75...

Diabetes Care, 2006

PLOS Medicine, 2016

Real-Life Diabetes Stories Somewhere in Asia, a 60-year-old man is admitted to an overcrowded medical ward with heart failure. He had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when presenting with coronary heart disease at the age of 50 and, despite undergoing several coronary interventions, his cardiometabolic risk factors have never been controlled owing to poor drug adherence. In busy outpatient clinics, doctors may have no more than 5 minutes to explain to their patients the nature of diabetes and the importance of self-discipline in diet, behavior and medication adherence, while deciding which drugs to prescribe based on little clinical information. They realize that many patients with hypertension, the metabolic syndrome, or a family history could benefit from screening for diabetes. However, in many settings, doctors can only remind patients to improve their diet and lifestyle and repeat the drug prescriptions. Patients themselves may be unable to afford to wait in long queues in a public clinic or find an insurer to support private outpatient care. Despite possessing some knowledge about diabetes, patients often find it difficult to adopt a suitable level of exercise, take multiple pills, make healthy food choices, and interpret fluctuating blood glucose concentrations, resulting in their diabetes being left unchecked.