Pakistan is a South-Asian country with a population of approximately 150 million. Diabetes prevalence in Pakistan is high: 12% of people above 25 years of age suffer from the condition and 10% have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). When one considers the associated risk factors present in Pakistani society, the large number of people with diabetes is no surprise. Obesity tops the list. According to a Diabetic Association of Pakistan study into chronic complications, involving 500 people with diabetes, eye damage (retinopathy) affected 43% of the people, kidney disease (nephropathy) 20%, and nerve damage (neuropathy) 40%.