Doha, November 13 (QNA) - Raising awareness about the impact of diabetes on communities and promoting early diagnosis is an international task that all countries are simultaneously addressing, as diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. Over the past decade, the prevalence of diabetes has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries, necessitating increased attention.

Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.

International estimates indicate that diabetes is spreading rapidly worldwide to an alarming extent, officially making it one of the biggest global health challenges in the 21st century. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion people could be living with diabetes by 2050 worldwide.

According to the statistics from the WHO and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there is a significant increase in the number of affected individuals, especially in the past five years. The total reached approximately 537 million in 2021, including 1.5 million cases of type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents. The statistics also indicate that around 550 million people have type 2 diabetes, and approximately 1.5 million children and teenagers are living with type 1 diabetes. Additionally, 550 million people are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and obesity.

An estimated 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, rising from 4.7% to 8.5% in the adult population. This reflects an increase in associated risk factors such as being overweight or obese.

Between 2000 and 2019, there was a 3% increase in age-standardized mortality rates from diabetes. In lower-middle-income countries, the mortality rate due to diabetes increased 13%. By contrast, the probability of dying from any one of the four main noncommunicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases or diabetes) between the ages of 30 and 70 decreased by 22% globally between 2000 and 2019.

In order to support those affected by this disease, the IDF and WHO adopted World Diabetes Day (WDD) as an official day in 2006 to honor Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin with Charles Best in 1922.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Executive Director of the Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) Dr. Abdullah Al Hamaq said that the association, founded in 1995, is a voluntary charitable organization and a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF). It has also been an active member of the International Diabetes Federation since 1997.

Al Hamaq emphasized QDA's leadership of in the areas of diabetes prevention and education at both the local and regional levels. He highlighted the association's continuous efforts to deliver its programs and services to diabetes patients, their families, and those at risk within the Qatari community.

QDA's Executive Director stressed the association's commitment to providing the latest important information about diabetes, improving the quality of life for the residents of the State of Qatar by increasing awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and controlling and preventing diabetes.

He underscored the importance of diabetes awareness to reduce its prevalence in society, attributing the increasing rates to unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases, posing a burden on patients and the healthcare systems of countries, he said, pointing out that this emphasizes the importance of awareness campaigns targeting all segments of society.

Al Hamaq noted that according to the 2012 Stepwise Survey, 17% of adults in the country have diabetes, a rate more than double the global average, adding that approximately 20% of the State of Qatar's population is in the pre-diabetes stage, mainly due to the strong link between type 2 diabetes and obesity, as the increase in weight is considered one of the most significant contributing factors to the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the country.

He also pointed out that Qatar has made significant progress through the implementation of the diabetes awareness program and self-management for newly diagnosed individuals, as the health authorities in the country have taken effective measures to control the problem and reduce the incidence of this disease by launching the seven-year National Diabetes Strategy 2016-2022, which aims to decrease new cases of the disease, provide specialized healthcare services for patients, and reduce complications and deaths associated with diabetes.

Regarding the recommended healthcare system, Dr. Al Hamaq emphasized that the most important steps to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes include following a healthy diet and making exercise, and for individuals with diabetes, following the prescribed treatment from their treating physician, making regular check-ups, following a healthy diet, and physical activity are essential for diabetes management.

Additionally, this can be achieved by incorporating regular physical activity and quitting smoking to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Moreover, diabetes can be treated, its complications can be avoided, or it can be delayed through medications, regular check-ups, and the treatment of any complications.

After more than 100 years since the discovery of insulin, which was discovered in 1921, millions of diabetes patients worldwide still struggle to access the care they need. People with diabetes require ongoing care and support to manage their condition and avoid complications. The centenary of the discovery of insulin presents a unique opportunity to bring about meaningful change for the more than 460 million people living with diabetes and the millions more at risk.

Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by the bodys ineffective use of insulin. It often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity. (QNA)