According to a study released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, coinciding with World Diabetes Day, the number of diabetes cases worldwide has quadrupled since 1990, now affecting over 800 million adults.
“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,” stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In light of this situation, the head of the WHO urged countries to take urgent action to combat this disease by implementing policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity. Most importantly, he emphasized the need to establish health systems that ensure prevention, early detection, and treatment.
The study indicates that diabetes prevalence has doubled, increasing from 7% to 14% between 1990 and 2022, with nearly 450 million adults—approximately 60% of those affected—remaining untreated. This urgent issue is particularly pronounced in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 90% of untreated cases are found.
Conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of 1,500 researchers and practitioners working with the WHO, the findings highlight the necessity for immediate global action to address this disease.
This report represents the first comprehensive global analysis of trends in diabetes rates and treatment coverage, utilizing data from 140 million individuals aged 18 and older worldwide.
Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean regions are the most severely impacted, with approximately 20% of adults diagnosed with diabetes, as noted in the study. These areas, along with Africa, also show the lowest treatment rates, with fewer than four out of ten adults with diabetes receiving hypoglycemic medications.
In response to these challenges, the WHO has introduced a new global monitoring framework that focuses on key indicators such as glycemic control and access to essential medications.
