A recent study published by "Science Alert" reveals that the number of people suffering from diabetes worldwide is expected to double in the next three decades, reaching a total of 1.3 billion people by 2050. The study analyzed over 27,000 data sources and estimates related to specific risk factors such as obesity, diet, physical activity, environment or occupation, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
North Africa, the Middle East, and Pacific island nations are projected to be the most affected regions by diabetes, with some countries potentially having 1 in 5 individuals living with the disease by 2050 if current trends continue. According to the study, the prevalence of diabetes is expected to be higher among the elderly in these regions.
According to the United Nations, it is estimated that 422 million adults were affected by diabetes globally in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. Over the past decade, the spread of diabetes has significantly expanded in low- and middle-income countries.
Diabetes is divided into two types, 1 and 2, with the latter characterized by high blood sugar levels due to progressive insulin resistance, commonly diagnosed among adults. The vast majority of new diabetes cases over the next thirty years are expected to be type 2, which occurs due to the body's inability to regulate and use sugar for energy, leading to excessively high blood sugar levels that can eventually cause complications in the circulatory, nervous, and immune systems.
