World Diabetes Day, commemorated annually on November 14, is about creating awareness about the disease.
It is a day when people with diabetes, healthcare professionals, advocates, policymakers and the public unite to take action in the fight against diabetes.
What is diabetes?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
This results in hyperglycaemia, also called raised blood sugar, a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes. Over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
Importance of awareness
WHO states that the number of people living with diabetes rose from 200 million in 1990 to 830 million in 2022 and that prevalence has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries.
“In 2021, diabetes and kidney disease due to diabetes caused over 2 million deaths. In addition, around 11% of cardiovascular deaths were caused by high blood glucose,” said WHO.
Through creating awareness about the disease, people living with the disease can be encouraged and supported in getting diagnosis and treatment while those who aren’t diabetics can be encouraged to seek out a preventative lifestyle.
Global diabetes statistics
Though South Africa doesn’t feature on the list of countries with the highest rates of people living with diabetes in the world, the National Library of Medicine scientists found that the adult population of Indian descent, Africans on the continent, and their descendants in the Diaspora, and whites living in Africa, especially in South Africa and Tanzania, had the highest diabetes prevalence, respectively.
According to Statista.com, China is the country with the highest number of diabetics worldwide, with around 141 million people suffering from the disease. By the year 2045, it is predicted that China will have around 174 million people with diabetes.
Here is the list of top 10 countries with the highest number of diabetics in the world, according to Statista.
1. China: 141 million people
2. India: 74.2M people
3. Pakistan: 33M people
4. United States: 32.2M people
5. Indonesia: 19.5M
6. Brazil: 15.7M people
7. Mexico: 14.1M people
8. Bangladesh: 13.1M people
9. Japan: 11M people
10. Egypt: 10.9M people
Statista also highlights that diabetes is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for 1.5 million deaths in 2019.
“Diabetes at least doubles one’s chance of dying prematurely and many places in the world lack appropriate treatment options,” said Statista.
With that being noted, prevention awareness becomes a crucial aspect of preventing mortality.