Diabetes: Difference between revisions

|[[File:Diabetes world map - 2000.svg|thumb|Prevalence of diabetes worldwide in 2000 (per 1,000 inhabitants) - world average was 2.8%.

|[[File:Diabetes mellitus world map - DALY - WHO2004.svg|thumb|[[Disability-adjusted life year]] for diabetes mellitus per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004

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Globally, as of 2010, an estimated 285 million people had diabetes, with Type 2 making up about 90% of the cases.<cite>4</cite> Its incidence is increasing rapidly, and by 2030, this number is estimated to almost double.<cite>32</cite> Diabetes mellitus occurs throughout the world, but is more common (especially Type 2) in the more developed countries. The greatest increase in prevalence is, however, expected to occur in Asia and Africa, where most patients will probably be found by 2030.<cite>32</cite> The increase in incidence in developing countries follows the trend of urbanization and lifestyle changes, perhaps most importantly a ''Western-style'' diet. This has suggested an environmental (i.e., dietary) effect, but there is little understanding of the mechanism(s) at present, though there is much speculation, some of it most compellingly presented.<cite>32</cite>

Indigenous populations in first world countries have a higher prevalence and increasing incidence of diabetes than their corresponding nonindigenous populations. In Australia, the age-standardised prevalence of self-reported diabetes in indigenous Australians is almost four times that of nonindigenous Australians.<cite>33</cite> Preventative community health programs, such as Sugar Man (diabetes education), are showing some success in tackling this problem.

Almost one Chinese adult in ten has diabetes. A 2010 study estimated that more than 92 million Chinese adults have the disease, with another 150 million showing early symptoms.<cite>34</cite> The incidence of the disease is increasing rapidly; a 2009 study found a 30% increase in 7 years.<cite>35</cite>

India has more diabetics than any other country in the world, according to the International Diabetes Foundation,<cite>36</cite> although more recent data suggest that China has even more.<cite>34</cite> The disease affects more than 50 million Indians - 7.1% of the nation's adults - and kills about 1 million Indians a year.<cite>36</cite> The average age on onset is 42.5 years.<cite>36</cite> The high incidence is attributed to a combination of genetic susceptibility plus adoption of a high-calorie, low-activity lifestyle by India's growing middle class.<cite>37</cite>

About 3.8 million people in the United Kingdom have diabetes mellitus, but the charity Diabetes U.K. have made predictions that that could become high as 6.2 million by 2035/2036. Diabetes U.K. have also predicted that the National Health Service could be spending as much as 16.9 billion pounds on diabetes mellitus by 2035, a figure that means the NHS could be spending as much as 17% of its budget on diabetes treatment by 2035.<cite>38</cite><cite>39</cite><cite>40</cite>