Diabetes cases to increase by 2050-report

On Jun 23, 2023

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has revealed through a report that the number of people suffering from diabetes worldwide will double to 1.3 billion by 2050. According to the report published in the Lancet journal, the spike will be driven by structural racism and gaping inequality between countries.

It further predicted that every country on the globe will see an increase in the number of patients with chronic disease, according to the most comprehensive analysis of global data projecting out to 2050.

Some 529 million people were estimated to be living with diabetes, one of the top 10 causes of death and disability. That number, out of which 95 per cent are cases of type 2 diabetes, will top 1.3 billion in less than three decades.

High body mass index, an indication that people could be overweight, was linked to more than half of deaths and disability from diabetes. Other factors included people’s diets, exercise, smoking and alcohol.

Liane Ong, lead research scientist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and first author of one of the studies, said one factor was how diets had changed. “Over the course of 30 years, different countries have really migrated from traditional food habits — maybe eating more fruits and vegetables, eating healthier greens — to more highly processed foods,”

“The challenge is that we don’t really see one type of intervention that’s going to fix everything. Instead, fighting diabetes will require long-term planning, investment and attention from countries around the globe,” she added.

The research also estimated that by 2045, three-quarters of adults with diabetes will live in low- and middle-income countries. Although in wealthy countries such as the United States, diabetes rates were almost 1.5 times higher among minorities such as black, Hispanic, Asian or Native Americans, a separate Lancet study reveals.

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