IDF: Diabetes Epidemic Continuing to Escalate

Data from global studies demonstrates that the number of people with diabetes in 2011 has reached a staggering 366 million, 4.6 million deaths are due to diabetes and health care spending on diabetes has reached 465 billion USD.

Sep 16 2011--- New Diabetes Atlas figures released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) confirm that the diabetes epidemic continues to worsen.

Data from global studies demonstrates that the number of people with diabetes in 2011 has reached a staggering 366 million, 4.6 million deaths are due to diabetes and health care spending on diabetes has reached 465 billion USD.

IDF launched the figures at the Lisbon meeting of EASD (European Association for the Study of Diabetes) a week ahead of the UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which has demonstrated that world leaders are finally facing up to the challenge posed by diabetes as well as cancer, heart and chronic respiratory diseases.

As only the second UN Summit in history to deal with a health-related issue, the global diabetes community is expecting international political leaders to sign-up to commitments, concrete actions and measurable targets to tackle NCD as they did at the ground-breaking High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in 2001.

The Atlas - based on the latest international data - demonstrates that diabetes remains on its relentlessly upwards trajectory.

Professor Mbanya said: “IDF’s latest Atlas data are proof indeed that diabetes is a massive challenge the world can no longer afford to ignore. In 2011, one person is dying from diabetes every seven seconds. The clock is ticking for the world’s leaders – we expect action from their High-Level Meeting next week at the United Nations that will halt diabetes’ relentlessly upwards trajectory.”

“The socio-economic impact of not just diabetes, but all non-communicable diseases, is staggering,” said Professor Boulton, Vice-President of EASD.

“EASD fully supports the IDF and echoes the call of Prof. Mbanya’s for increased funds for medical research,” he added.

Research into strengthening health systems should include developing and evaluating approaches for building local health care capacity, as well as integrating diabetes care and services with primary health care services, management of chronic infectious diseases and maternal and child health.

The message to world leaders is that investing in research now will result in savings in the future, reducing the enormous and still growing burden of NCDs on their health systems.

The 5th edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas has been made possible thanks to the support of Lilly Diabetes, Merck and Co. Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S and Sanofi.