Diabetes patients reach 36mn in Pakistan

The number of people with diabetes has doubled to more than 800 million worldwide in the last 30 years, and Pakistan is the fourth-largest country affected by the disease, a study revealed.

The study, published in the journal Lancet, showed that the rate of diabetes among adults worldwide increased from 7-14 percent between 1990 and 2022, with the highest increase seen in low- and middle-income countries.

NCD-RisC scientists worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) and used data from 1,000 research reports on 140 million people aged 18 years and older in different countries.

They used different tools to compare the prevalence and treatment of diabetes in different countries and regions.

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the pancreas of people with diabetes is unable to produce adequate amounts of insulin.

If diabetes is not controlled, blood sugar levels continue to rise, which damages various organs of the body, especially nerves and blood vessels.

Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body itself destroys the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin, while Type II diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to use insulin properly.

More than 95 percent of diabetic patients are diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Unlike Type I diabetes, Type II is preventable.

Genetic factors, including excess body weight, poor dietary habits, and lack of physical activity, increase the risk of developing Type II diabetes.

The study found that more than 50 percent of diabetic patients in the world are found in four countries.

In 2022, more than a quarter (212 million) of patients lived in India, 148 million in China, 42 million in the US, and 36 million in Pakistan.

Indonesia and Brazil have confirmed 25 million and 22 million cases, respectively.

The risk of Type II diabetes spreading worldwide is also increasing due to increasing obesity rates and an aging population.

Researchers said that due to disability and other serious effects, it is important to prevent diabetes through a healthy diet and exercise.

Eating too much sugar can make one more susceptible to diabetes and other serious diseases.

They added that the results show that better policies are needed in this regard, especially in low-income countries, to limit the consumption of unhealthy foods, reduce the prices of healthy foods, and increase exercise opportunities.

The study found that despite the availability of effective drugs that reduce blood sugar levels, residents of different countries do not have access to them.

This is why there has been a significant improvement in the treatment rate in rich countries, but the situation is worsening in middle and poor countries.

As a result, in 2022, 445 million diabetic patients aged 30 years or older did not have access to treatment.

The lack of access to treatment increases the risk of various complications throughout life, including heart disease, kidney problems, vision loss, and others.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the research findings that they have seen an alarming increase in the rate of diabetes cases over the past three decades, driven by obesity, unhealthy diets, and lack of physical activity.

He stated that the world must take urgent steps to control diabetes globally.