Diabetes ravages emerging nations in Asia, Africa

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Diabetes patients in Asia and Africa are projected to total 560 million by 2045 as affluence and urbanization lead to changes in 

 

Diabetes ravages emerging nations in Asia, Africa
Number of patients projected to jump 50% by 2045 as dietary habits change
RYOSUKE HANADA and KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writersFebruary 11, 2023 16:10 JST

 

 

MUMBAI/BANGKOK -- The number of diabetes patients is surging in Asia and Africa as more people become obese due to COVID-related curbs on outdoor activities and their dietary habits change amid economic growth.

In Pakistan, there were 5.2 times more diabetes patients in 2021 than a decade earlier. Of the population from ages 20 to 79, 30% have developed diabetes. "Earlier in Pakistan, diabetes would affect people of 40 years of age, but gradually [came to affect those] in 30s, then 20s, and now we can find in teenagers type two of diabetes," said Matiullah Khan, an endocrinologist at the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

 

If left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious complications, such as heart disease, strokes and blindness.

 

"There is widespread lack of education and awareness among general masses in Pakistan about diabetes. People [tend] to take it less serious as compared to heart ailments," said an official at the nonprofit Diabetes Center in Islamabad. "At government level, there is no education and awareness policy to tackle soaring number of diabetic patients in Pakistan."

 

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body cannot use the hormone well. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the insulin-producing cells fail to work, while Type 2 diabetes results when the body cannot keep blood sugar at normal levels due to obesity or a lack of physical activity. Type 2 accounts for 90% of the world's diabetes patients.

 

Diabetes by itself is the ninth-leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. But if sugar in the bloodstream remains high, it can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of developing such complications as ischemic heart disease, the leading cause of death. Treating diabetes is expensive because it requires regular medications, and some patients also find it difficult to make the lifestyle changes needed for treatment.

 

 

People in emerging nations are particularly vulnerable to diabetes. The total number of diabetes patients in Asia and Africa is forecast to reach 560 million by 2045, up 50% from 2021, according to the International Diabetes Federation. The number is projected to rise 70% to 220 million in South Asia, while sub-Saharan Africa is expected to see a 2.3-fold jump to 55 million. In contrast, increases in Europe and North America are expected to be slight at 1.1 to 1.2 times.

 

The number of patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes is growing in emerging countries as their diets improve with economic development. Daily calorie intake per capita rose 43% in Vietnam and 39% in Ethiopia over the 20 years through 2018, compared to a global average of 8%. The number of diabetes patients rose 130% in Vietnam and 40% in Ethiopia in the decade through 2021.

 

Traditional staple foods in Asia and Africa are low in calories and fat, but foods high in both categories have become available with the globalization of Western diets. As the number of fast-food restaurants increases in urban areas, people have more opportunities to eat foods rich in carbohydrates and fat, leading to an increase in obesity and diabetes. Half of Pakistan's adult population is now considered obese, according to one study.

 

 

The spread of the novel coronavirus made the situation worse as various restrictions were imposed on people's daily activities. The global average of steps that a person walked daily was 4,997 from May to November in 2021, down 10% from the pre-pandemic level, according to a study by Geoffrey H. Tison, a cardiologist and assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco and other researchers who analyzed data from the Azumio Argus smartphone app. In Asia, the number fell 30%.

 

"Even North America and Europe, which were among the first countries to lift restrictions relevant to COVID-19, have not [seen the level of exercise] recovered to pre-COVID-19 level," Tison said. Unless people engage in more physical activity, the number of diabetes patients will likely increase and the condition of existing patients will worsen.

 

Along with exercise, dietary control is the key to preventing diabetes or staying healthy after the onset of the disease. Some emerging countries have adopted measures to discourage the excessive drinking of sweetened beverages. Thailand plans to raise its sugar tax by 1.6 to 3.3 times, depending on the level of sugar in beverages, effective as of April. South Africa is also considering raising its sugar tax.

 

Still, education can make people aware of the importance of daily diet. "Government should do campaign to [tell] people, as well as children in the school, about how [important] diets are for their healthy life," said Ruchirek Thamcharoen, an endocrinologist at the Royal Thai Navy's Somdejphranangchaosirikit Hospital.