PHA-Exchange> WITH SIX PEOPLE DYING EVERY MINUTE, WHO DECLARES WAR ON DIABETES

[claudio at hcmc.netnam.vn]

from Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at undp.org> -----

WITH SIX PEOPLE DYING EVERY MINUTE, UN HEALTH AGENCY DECLARES WAR ON DIABETES

With six people dying every minute from diabetes-related illnesses, the United 
Nations health agency today launched a major 
preventive campaign for low- and middle-income countries and communities based 
on simple lifestyle adjustments such as a healthy 
diet and physical activity, often combined with medication.

�Diabetes is a major threat to global public health that is rapidly getting 
worse and the biggest impact is on adults of working 
age in developing countries,� World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant-
Director General for Non-communicable Diseases and Mental 
Health Catherine Le Gal�s-Camus said.

�In most developing countries at least one in 10 deaths in adults aged 35 to 
64 is attributable to diabetes, and in some the 
figure is as high as one in five,� she added at the launching of �Diabetes 
Action Now,� a joint programme of WHO and the 
International Diabetes Federation (IDF), a Brussels-based non-governmental 
organization.

Diabetes, a chronic disease caused by inherited and/or acquired deficiency in 
production of insulin, has become one of the major 
causes of premature illness and death in most countries, mainly through the 
increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some 
3.2 million deaths can be attributed to it each year according to new WHO/IDF 
figures � three times higher than previous 
calculations.

�Diabetes can be effectively managed and the risk of developing complications 
reduced substantially,� IDF President Pierre 
Lef�bvre said. �Simple lifestyle adjustments such as a healthy diet and 
physical activity, often combined with medication, have 
been shown to be effective in promoting a full and healthy life with diabetes.

�In many cases, type 2 diabetes � accounting for over 90 per cent of all 
cases of diabetes � can be prevented through lifestyle 
interventions alone,� he added.

Diabetes is dramatically rising all over the world. In 2000, there were 171 
million affected people worldwide, and by 2030 this 
figure is expected to more than double to 366 million.

Most of the increase will occur as a result of a 150 per cent rise in 
developing countries. For example, in India there were 
approximately 32 million people with diabetes in 2000, but by 2030 this number 
is expected to increase to almost 80 million.


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