A recent study published in The Lancet reveals that the global prevalence of diabetes among adults has doubled in the last 30 years.

The condition affected approximately 14% of adults worldwide in 2022, rising from 7% in 1990.

This alarming increase primarily impacts developing countries.

Researchers estimate that the number of diabetics has soared from less than 200 million in 1990 to over 800 million in 2022.

Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are included in these figures.

Type 1 diabetes, typically diagnosed in young individuals, is due to insulin deficiency and is harder to manage.

Conversely, Type 2 diabetes primarily affects older adults and results from reduced insulin sensitivity.

Notably, while wealthier countries such as Japan, Canada, France, and Denmark have stable or declining rates, low- and middle-income nations shoulder a growing diabetes burden.

Pakistan, for instance, now reports nearly a third of women with diabetes, compared to less than a tenth in 1990.

Obesity and poor diet are significant contributors to Type 2 diabetes.

Despite the rising global numbers, a gap persists in diabetes treatment between affluent and impoverished nations.

Remarkably, 445 million adults did not receive diabetes treatment in 2022, with India accounting for a significant portion of this group.

In sub-Saharan Africa, only 5% to 10% of adults received treatment.

Senior study author Majid Ezzati from Imperial College London warns that young, untreated diabetics in low-income countries face lifelong health complications, including amputations, heart disease, kidney damage, vision loss, or premature death.