Unless things change, one in 10 adults is expected to have diabetes by 2030, according to new figures from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
The number of people currently living with diabetes is expected to rise from 366 million in 2011 to 552 million by 2030 if no urgent action is taken, the IDF states in its 5th edition of the Diabetes Atlas, released on November 14th, World Diabetes Day. This equates to approximately three new cases every 10 seconds or almost 10 million new cases per year.
Other key findings from the study include the following:
- 78,000 children develop type 1 diabetes every year.
- 80 percent of people with diabetes live in low and middle income countries.
- As many as 183 million people worldwide are unaware they have diabetes; at least 78 percent of people in Africa are undiagnosed and unaware they have diabetes.
- The greatest number of people with diabetes are between 40 and 59 years of age.
In some of the poorest regions in the world such as Africa, where infectious diseases have traditionally been the focus of healthcare systems, diabetes cases are expected to increase by 90 percent by 2030.
The release of these figures follow the United Nations Summit meeting in September on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes. It was only the second such summit meeting to focus on health issues; the first one, in 2011, focused on AIDs.
World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations day in 2007, and draws attention to issues of importance to the diabetes world. This year sees the third of a five-year campaign that will address the growing need for diabetes education and prevention programs.
Source: International Diabetes Federation, November 14, 2011
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