Diabetes surge worldwide

The number of people living with diabetes around the world has quadrupled from 108 million in 1980 to 422m in 2014 – 8.5% of the global adult population

PREVALENCE OF ADULTS WITH DIABETES (%)

WHO Regions 1980 2014

Africa 3.1 7.1

Americas 5 8.3

Eastern Mediterranean 5.3 13.7

Europe 5.3 7.3

South-East Asia 4.1 8.4

Western Pacific 4.4 8.4

Total 4.7 8.5

High blood sugar levels are linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide each year

Surge in cases mostly down to type 2 – form of diabetes closely linked to poor lifestyle

Source: WHO

Picture: AP