The published findings highlight the need for immediate global action to combat this outbreak, the UN health agency said.
The study was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of 1,500 researchers and practitioners in collaboration with WHO.
This is the first global analysis of trends in diabetes rates and treatment coverage, based on data from 140 million people aged 18 or older worldwide.
The analysis reveals that cases of diabetes have doubled, from 7 to 14% between 1990 and 2022, and that nearly 450 million adults, or 60% of those affected, remain untreated. This emergency situation particularly affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 90% of untreated cases are found.
“We have seen an alarming rise in diabetes over the past three decades, reflecting the rise in obesity, compounded by the effects of unhealthy food marketing, lack of physical activity and economic hardship,” warned WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Regional challenges
The Southeast Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions are the most affected, with approximately 20% of adults affected.
These regions, along with Africa, have the lowest treatment rates, with fewer than four in ten adults with diabetes taking blood sugar-lowering medications.
In response to these challenges, WHO is launching a new global surveillance framework, focusing on key indicators including glycemic control and access to essential medicines.
This represents a crucial step in the global response, providing comprehensive guidance for countries to measure and evaluate diabetes prevention, care, outcomes and impacts.
This initiative complements the 2021 Global Diabetes Compact, which aims to ensure equitable access to comprehensive care. The framework represents a crucial step in standardizing approaches to diabetes prevention and treatment across different health systems around the world, WHO said.
The way forward
“To bring the global diabetes epidemic under control, countries must act urgently,” stressed Dr Tedros.
“This starts with adopting policies that support healthy diets and physical activity, and above all, health systems that provide prevention, early detection and treatment,” he added.
The WHO has set ambitious targets, including ensuring that 80% of diagnosed diabetic patients achieve good glycemic control by 2030. This target is a broader strategy to address the root causes of diabetes. epidemic, while improving access to essential treatments.
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