Psychological issues

Brazil is a country of continental dimensions, the fifth largest in the world, and the fifth most populous – nearly 200 million inhabitants. It is characterized by its diversity, geographically, and in terms of its varied climate, ethnic and cultural complexity and economy; Brazil is the tenth largest economy in the world, a country where huge wealth and widespread  poverty co-exist at close quarters.

In Japan, the growing number of children and adolescents with overweight or obesity is driving an increase in youth-onset type 2 diabetes; the figures for type 1 diabetes remain constant among young people. In response, a number of initiatives have been developed and implemented in order to address diabetes-related issues and promote healthy living for young people affected by the condition.

In South Africa, managing diabetes in children and adolescents can be especially challenging. South Africa is a country of great socio-economic and ethnic diversity, where healthcare, like culture, languages and customs, varies significantly from one area to another. Furthermore, access to healthcare depends on affordability and availability, ranging in quality between developed- and developing-world standards. With these challenges in mind, the DAWN Youth South Africa survey was undertaken to evaluate the effects of diabetes on young people with the condition and their  family.

Since its launch in 2006, DAWN Youth has worked to complement a number of existing programmes in the USA which contribute to the well-being of young people with diabetes. The US WebTalk survey recorded first-hand testimonies from young people with diabetes, their parents and healthcare professionals on what it means to live with diabetes. As in all  participating countries, schools were identified as a key area for improvement in the USA. This article outlines two of the initiatives of DAWN Youth USA, which may be a source of  ideas for action and improvement in other countries.

India is undergoing an economic transformation – a financial boom according to many. Among India’s strong points contributing to this positive economic climate is its enormous young population. The potential for productivity, savings and investments by this generation will increase in the future, and is driving up levels of investments and confidence in the Indian economy. However, such gains are cancelled out to a large degree by excessive healthcare spending.

Editior-in-chief 's editorial

Diabetes can have both a daily and long-term impact on people with the condition – both physically and in terms of its psychosocial effects. It is now known that people with diabetes are at a substantially increased risk of experiencing mental distress, particularly depression. Furthermore, a growing bank of evidence points to a two-way relationship between the conditions. Yet depression is often under-diagnosed in people with diabetes.

Since early case reports in the 1980’s, there has been considerable interest in examining the connection between type 1 diabetes and eating disorders. Some researchers argue that the attention to food portions (especially carbohydrates), blood glucose, body weight, and exercise that are characteristic of standard medical treatment for type 1 diabetes resembles the rigid thinking about food and body image that is characteristic of people with eating disorders without diabetes.

Diabetes is a major health concern; 246 million people are diagnosed and living with the disease worldwide. The growing global prevalence of type 2 diabetes is correlated with the ongoing rise in obesity. In the USA, where diabetes is the fifth-leading cause of death, the number of people with the condition has tripled in the last 30 years. The number of people with the condition is set to increase in coming years as populations age.