DIABETES is known as the “silent killer” because it can often have no symptoms at first. It is a chronic disease that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or does not use it properly, resulting in high blood sugar levels.

Although potent drugs come one year after year, the number of patients with diabetes cannot decline remarkably across the world. Two types of diabetes still pose a threat to humans daily. Despite killing immediately, diabetes gradually worsens the health conditions of patients, with high costs for healthcare services and downtrends in socioeconomic life.

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2024-26 is “Diabetes and Well-Being,” which will run through 2026. The theme highlights the importance of a holistic approach to diabetes care, which includes physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Hence, patients have to fol­low physicians’ behaviours and prescriptions to fight against diabetes.

Globally, an estimated 422 million people were liv­ing with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly dou­bled since 1980, rising from 4.7 per cent to 8.5 per cent in the adult population. That reflects an increase in asso­ciated risk factors such as being overweight or obese. Over the past decade, dia­betes prevalence has risen faster in low and middle-in­come countries than in high-income countries.

The International Dia­betes Federation issued a report in 2021, stating that approximately 537 million adults are living with dia­betes. It predicts that the total number of people living with diabetes is projected to rise to 643 million by 2030. The federation reported 6.7 million deaths worldwide among adults with diabetes as a result of diabetes or its com­plications in 2021.

Due to suffering from diabetes, patients may face blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation. A healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay impacts of type 2 diabetes. In addition, diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with medication, regular screening and treatment for complications.

People should do health exercises and avoid inappropriate lifestyles since their childhood in order to curb the impacts of diabetes. If they control their consumption of inappropriate foods which trigger outbreaks of diabetes, they can overcome the challenges of such a disease during their lifespans. Con­sequently, they can live peacefully and happily with families by setting aside sufferings caused by diabetes.