Number of diabetes patients quadruples since 1980: WHO 422m

geneva — The number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults, with most living in developing countries. Factors driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity, WHO announced ahead of the World Health Day.

WHO is marking its annual World Health Day today, which celebrates the organisation’s founding in 1948, by issuing a call for action on diabetes. In its first “global report on dia- betes”, WHO highlights the need to step up prevention and treatment.

Measures needed include expanding health-promoting environments to reduce diabetes risk factors, like physical inactivity and unhealthy diets, and strengthening national capacities to help people with diabetes receive the treatment and care they need.

“If we are to make any headway in halting the rise in diabetes, we need to rethink our daily lives: To eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Di-

adults the world over are diabetic with most living in

developing countries rector-General. “Even in the poorest settings, governments must ensure that people make these healthy choices and that health systems diagnose and treat people with diabetes.” — optimal blood glucose caused an additional 2.2 million deaths by increasing the risks of cardiovascular and other diseases.