As a disease of affluence, is the incidence of diabetes high in Europe and the United States?

A large part of the causes of diseases of affluence are a series of chronic diseases caused by overnutrition due to the improvement of people's living standards and excessive food intake. Diabetes is undoubtedly one of the diseases of affluence! In other words, a large part of the causes of diabetes are caused by eating, especially sweets. Then some people say, when it comes to sweets, which country's people like to eat more than Europeans and Americans? What is the incidence of diabetes in their country? Is it lower than ours? Today, let's discuss this topic with you!

First: Let’s take Europe, the United States and China separately and make a comparison

As shown below, Germany ranks first, Portugal ranks second, the United States ranks third, followed by Malta and so on. At least 10 European countries rank higher than China.

In fact, the highest rate is in the Marshall Islands, where the diabetes rate is as high as 33.8% (which really surprised me and I even suspected that the data was wrong).

Secondly: Considering the relationship between diabetes and age, make an age calibration.

According to the latest global diabetes data released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there is no evidence that the incidence of diabetes in Europe and the United States is low.

The following figure shows the age-adjusted ratio.

This is the global incidence of diabetes

According to the proportion, the highest level is the incidence rate of more than 12%. These countries are: Mexico in America, South Africa, Egypt, Sudan in Africa, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in Asia, etc.

The second tier is 9-12%. At this time, the United States in North America, Brazil in South America, Germany, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina in Europe, Libya and South Sudan in Africa, China, India, Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan in Asia

The third tier is 7-9%. Canada in North America, Chile in South America, Mauritania in Africa, Czech Republic in Europe, Iraq in Asia

Basically, it can be seen that from the perspective of incidence rate, there is no such thing as a low incidence rate in Europe and the United States. The rates in the United States, Germany, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, etc. are all quite high.

Moreover, if we do not adjust for age and just look at the number directly, Europe, America and Asia are all regions with particularly large numbers of people with diabetes.

Especially the elderly. Diabetes is mainly a disease of the elderly, so the elderly are the main group of people with diabetes. Among the elderly with diabetes over 65 years old, there are quite a lot in Europe, America and China.

However, this number cannot ignore the population base.

Type 1 diabetes

This type 1 disease mainly affects young people. In terms of proportion, the highest rates are in Europe and the United States, while other regions are very low.

Or use a bar chart

Again, diabetes and income

In fact, diabetes itself is related to income.

Basically, the higher the income of a country, the higher the diabetes rate.

For example, the proportion in high-income countries is 10.4%, in middle-income countries is 9.5%, and in low-income countries is 4%.

Therefore, in high-income regions such as Europe and the United States, the incidence of diabetes is definitely not too low.

Many people like to talk about metformin for longevity. This drug is used to treat diabetes. How was it found to be related to longevity? When a large number of people were treated in the UK, it was found that the treated group lived longer than normal people. This gave people a sense of improvement. Does this drug prolong life?

Of course, it is still under study, but the probability is not low.

Secondly, the global development of diabetes

Diabetes is increasing globally over the years.

And it is expected to increase in the future. Here is the IDF forecast:

It is predicted that by 2045, this number will basically double.

The scale of the increase may vary from region to region.

The global total increase was 51%, with the main increase in population occurring in Africa, up to 143%, followed by the Middle East and North Africa, and then South Asia, Central and South America, all exceeding 50%.

The increase in the Western Pacific where we live is about 31%, which is lower than North America and the Caribbean (33%). The lowest is in Europe, with an increase of 33%.

In addition, diabetes is dangerous

Diabetes actually has a risk, which is related to cancer

The above table shows the correlation between diabetes and some cancers, a typical example being the relationship with liver cancer.

The global fight against diabetes is also a joint effort.

Finally, about diabetes

1. What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by long-term high blood sugar, accompanied by frequent urination, thirst and hunger. There are two main causes of diabetes: the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, or the cells cannot respond to insulin correctly, resulting in the inability of insulin to properly regulate blood sugar. In general, diabetes is divided into the following three categories:

1. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin. It usually develops early and is also called juvenile diabetes.

2. Type 2 diabetes. This is the most common form of diabetes, and the main cause is insulin resistance. In other words, although the body can secrete insulin normally, the body's cells cannot respond to it properly, so insulin sensitivity decreases. This is the most common form of diabetes.

3. Gestational diabetes, which occurs in pregnant women with no history of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for more than 90% of diabetes patients, so it has also attracted much attention. Type 2 diabetes usually develops after the age of 35. If not treated in time, it will lead to a variety of complications, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, foot ulcers and eye damage. In severe cases, it may even lead to ketoacidosis or death.

Therefore, coping with diabetes has always been an important clinical issue.

2. How to treat diabetes?

The main way to deal with diabetes is to lower blood sugar. Regarding the treatment of diabetes, I believe many people must have heard that diabetes requires injections. This is the objective reality of diabetes treatment. So far, common diabetes drugs are generally divided into oral and injection types, and the two often need to be used in combination.

Important references:

International Diabetes Federation.IDF Diabetes Atlas, 9th edn.Brussels, Belgium: 2019. Available at: https://www.diabetesatlas.org

illustrate:

The content of the picture comes from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), not an individual drawing.

The original picture is like this, it has nothing to do with me~