Why you should care
The statistics are frightening . . .
- In 1985, there were an estimated 30 million people with diabetes worldwide.
- Today there are more than 300 million people with diabetes, over a seven-fold increase in just over 20 years.
- If nothing is done to slow down the epidemic, within 20 years the number of people with diabetes will reach close to 500 million.
The burden on healthcare systems is overwhelming . . .
- It is estimated that the costs of diabetes complications account for between 5% and 10% of total healthcare spending in the world.
The cost in human suffering and lives is heartbreaking . . .
- Diabetes is the main cause of partial vision loss and blindness in adults in developed countries.
- Diabetes accounts for the majority of limb amputations that are not the result of an accident.
- People with diabetes are much more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke.
- People with diabetes are at a greater risk of developing kidney disease.
