Dive Brief:
- The incidence of diabetes has nearly quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries, the World Health Organization announced this week.
- WHO called for action on diabetes, including increased prevention and treatment, in conjunction with its annual World Health Day, April 7.
- As part of the effort to spotlight diabtetes, WHO has released its first “Global report on diabetes."
Dive Insight:
WHO says the primary measures needed to reduce diabetes include the expansion of health-promoting environments, and adds nations must improve their capacities to help diabetics manage their conditions.
The WHO report indicates numerous findings, among them that the prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide, going from 4.7% of the population in 1980 to 8.5% of the population in 2014, bringing not only health impacts but major socioeconomic impacts, particularly in developing countries.
The agency adds deaths attributed to diabetes rose to 1.5 million in 2012, and that an additional 2.2 million were caused by high blood glucose increasing the risks for cardivascular and other types of diseases. WHO notes that of the deaths, 43% occured before the person reached the age of 70, and it argues many of the deaths would be preventable through adoption of policies to support healthier environments, better detection, and better treatment.