The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm over rising cases of diabetes worldwide.
The body, in a statement on X, said global diabetes cases have skyrocketed, exceeding 800 million adults, a four-fold increase since 1990, as revealed in a recent study published on Thursday by The Lancet in commemoration of the World Diabetes Day.
The study conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) with WHO’s support, revealed alarming scope of the diabetes epidemic.
WHO called for intensified global efforts to tackle the disease and expanding treatment disparities, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
The Director-General of WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said: “We have seen an alarming rise in diabetes over the past three decades, which reflects the increase in obesity, compounded by the impacts of the marketing of unhealthy food, a lack of physical activity and economic hardship.
“To bring the global diabetes epidemic under control, countries must urgently take action. This starts with enacting policies that support healthy diets and physical activity, and, most importantly, health systems that provide prevention, early detection and treatment.”
According to the Lancet study, between 1990 and 2022, global diabetes prevalence among adults surged from 7 percent to 14 percent, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experiencing the most significant increases.
It added that despite the alarming increase, access to treatment in LMICs remains inadequate.
The Lancet also reported that in 2022, approximately 450 million adults aged 30 and older accounted for 59 percent of all adults with diabetes and lacked treatment.
This represents a 3.5-fold increase in untreated individuals since 1990. Most concerning, 90 per cent of these untreated adults reside in LMICs.
The study further revealed substantial regional disparities in diabetes prevalence, with the WHO South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean Regions reporting notably high rates, affecting approximately 20 percent of adults aged 18 and older.
Disturbingly, these regions, along with the African region, have alarmingly low diabetes treatment coverage. Fewer than 40 percent of adults with diabetes in these areas receive glucose-lowering medication, highlighting a critical need for improved access to diabetes care.
In response to the soaring diabetes burden worldwide, WHO said it is launching a new global monitoring framework to track key indicators like glycaemic control, hypertension, and access to essential medicines.
This standardised approach will empower countries to prioritise resources effectively, driving significant improvements in diabetes prevention and care.
The WHO noted that its Global Diabetes Compact launched in 2021, was aimed at reducing the risk of diabetes and ensuring all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have equitable access to comprehensive, affordable, and quality treatment and care.
The initiative also focuses on preventing type 2 diabetes by addressing obesity, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity.
Additionally, the World Health Assembly endorsed a diabetes resolution in 2021, urging member states to prioritise diabetes prevention, diagnosis, control, and management of risk factors such as obesity.
The statement reads, “In 2022, WHO established five global diabetes coverage targets to be achieved by 2030. One of these targets is to ensure that 80 per cent of people with diagnosed diabetes achieve good glycemic control. Today’s release underlines the scale and urgency of action needed to advance efforts to close the gap.”
According to the global body, 2025 presents an opportunity for action against the alarming rise in diabetes worldwide with the Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on non communicable diseases (NCDs) which is set to take place in September to bring together heads of states and governments.
