Cost of diabetes epidemic reaches $850 billion a year

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The number of people living with diabetes has tripled since 2000, pushing the global cost of the disease to 850 billion US dollars a year, medical experts said on Tuesday.

The vast majority of those affected have type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and lack of exercise, and the epidemic is spreading particularly fast in poorer countries as people adopt Western diets and urban lifestyles.

The latest estimates from the International Diabetes Federation mean that one in 11 adults worldwide is suffering from the situation, which occurs when the amount of sugar in the blood is too high.

November 14 is World Diabetes Day /UN Photo

The total number of diabetics is now 451 million and is expected to reach 693 million by 2045 if current trends continue.

The high price of dealing with the disease reflects not only the cost of medicines but also the management of a range of complications, such as limb amputations and eye problems.

Diabetes has transformed into a major noninfectious disease affecting millions of people worldwide, and to raise awareness on the global epidemic, the United Nations has marked November 14 World Diabetes Day every year.

Diabetes on the rise each year /AFP Photo

The theme this year is "women and diabetes." More than 99 million women have been diagnosed with diabetes, and this figure is projected to rise to 313 million by 2040, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

Main factors contributing to diabetes causes include poor diet and nutrition, physical inactivity, tobacco consumption and harmful use of alcohol.

Severe diabetes patients have a high risk of developing life-threatening diseases, as studies have revealed by the World Health Organization. In 2015, an estimated 1.6 million people died from diabetes.

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency