The prevalence of diabetes worldwide has doubled over the past three decades, with more than 800 million adults now living with the condition, according to a groundbreaking study published in The Lancet. The global prevalence has surged from 7% in 1990 to 14% in 2022, with the sharpest increases in low- and middle-income countries. The findings highlight alarming disparities in treatment and prevention efforts.
Unprecedented Growth in Diabetes Rates
The study, conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), analyzed data from over 140 million people across 1,000 studies globally. Researchers attributed the rise primarily to type 2 diabetes, fueled by growing obesity rates, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and ageing populations.
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Type 2 diabetes, accounting for over 95% of cases, is a metabolic disorder where the body cannot use insulin effectively. Unlike type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition typically diagnosed at a young age, type 2 diabetes is largely preventable through lifestyle changes.
India, China, the U.S., and Pakistan accounted for more than half of all diabetes cases. In 2022, 212 million people with diabetes lived in India, 148 million in China, 42 million in the U.S., and 36 million in Pakistan. High-income countries like the U.S. and the U.K. reported diabetes rates of 12.5% and 8.8%, respectively. However, rates in some Western nations like France, Denmark, and Spain remained as low as 2-5%.
Widening Global Health Inequalities
The study revealed significant disparities in diabetes treatment and care. While over 55% of adults with diabetes in high-income countries received treatment in 2022, treatment rates in low- and middle-income nations stagnated. Shockingly, more than half of adults with diabetes aged 30 and over—approximately 445 million people—remained untreated globally.
Sub-Saharan Africa faced the greatest treatment gaps, with only 5-10% of those needing care receiving it. Jean Claude Mbanya, a professor at the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon, emphasized the dire consequences: untreated diabetes significantly raises the risk of complications such as heart disease, kidney damage, vision loss, and premature death.
Economic and Health Implications
Diabetes imposes a significant economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Chantal Mathieu, president of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, described it as a pandemic that threatens public health and economies alike. She called for expanded screening, better management, and preventive measures to curb the disease’s impact.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stressed the urgency of enacting policies to promote healthier diets, physical activity, and better healthcare systems. “The rise in diabetes reflects an alarming trend of obesity, compounded by the marketing of unhealthy foods and economic hardship,” he said.
Preventing a Growing Crisis
Experts highlighted preventive measures as critical in reversing this trend. Dr. Ranjit Mohan Anjana, president of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, advocated for ambitious policies like subsidizing healthy foods, providing free school meals, and creating safe spaces for exercise.
“Our findings underline the need for equitable global health policies to prevent diabetes through healthier lifestyles,” he said.
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With diabetes now affecting nearly one in seven adults globally, the study highlights an urgent need for coordinated action to combat this growing public health challenge.