Thursday 14/November/2024 – 06:41 AM
A new study reveals that more than 800 million adults around the world have diabetes, which is twice what previous assessments expected.
It also showed that more than half of those infected over the age of 30 do not receive treatment.
The study, published in The Lancet, added that in 2022 there were 828 million people aged 18 and over with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The researchers said that among adults aged 30 years and over, there were 445 million patients who were not receiving treatment, according to what Reuters reported.
Previous estimates by the World Health Organization indicated that more than 422 million people have diabetes, which is a chronic metabolic disease that affects blood sugar levels and may cause deterioration in the health of the heart, blood vessels, nerves, and other organs if it is not treated.
The study indicated that the global incidence of diabetes has doubled since 1990, rising from 7% to 14%, largely due to rising numbers of cases in low- and middle-income countries.
The researchers explained that despite the rise in infection cases, the rates of receiving treatment in those areas have not witnessed a significant increase, while things have improved in some high-income countries, leading to a widening of the treatment gap.
In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, for example, only 5 to 10 percent of those estimated to have diabetes have received treatment.
The authors of the study, which was conducted in collaboration between the Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factors Collaboration and the World Health Organization, said that it represents the first global analysis that includes treatment rates and estimates for all countries.
The study was based on more than 1,000 studies covering more than 140 million people.
