Nearly seven million people with diabetes in Germany

German Health Report Diabetes 2017 published
Diabetes is one of the widespread common diseases in Germany. Currently, around 6.7 million people in this country suffer from diabetes mellitus, including about two million, who do not yet know about their disease, according to the announcement of the German Diabetes Association (DDG). Together with the Deutsche Diabetes-Hilfe, the DDG today published the "German Health Report Diabetes 2017".

According to the DDG, diabetes and the sequelae result in costs of around 35 billion euros annually for treatment, care, disability and early retirement. The latest report shows how many people were newly diagnosed with diabetes last year, how much progress has been made in therapy, and how, for example, children with diabetes are living. "The health report Diabetes 2017 gives all important answers, data and information about the metabolic disease," said the DDG.

Nearly seven million people in Germany today suffer from diabetes, and the trend continues to rise. (Image: Andrey Popov / fotolia.com)

Numerous sequelae of diabetes
In the long term, diabetes is associated with numerous other health problems, as poorly adjusted blood sugar can lead, for example, to amputations, re-blindness, cardiac and vascular complications. "Three-quarters of all people with diabetes eventually die of heart attacks or strokes," explains the DDG. The Health Report Diabetes 2017 will present an inventory of the facts. These include points such as the "Epidemiology of Diabetes in Germany", "Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes in Germany - Challenges and Visions" and "Medical Care for Children and Adolescents with Diabetes - Developments over the Last 21 Years".

Curb the spread of diabetes
In addition, there is a paper in the Health Report that outlines the link between sugar intake, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Evidence-based arguments are compiled here, "in which the food and sugar industry can no longer miss," emphasizes the DDG. Further contributions are devoted to the topics "Diabetes mellitus and heart disease", "Stroke in diabetes" and "Diabetes and eye diseases". Together, DDG, diabetesDE / German Diabetes Aid and the German Non-Communicable Disease Alliance (DANK) advocate countering the spread of diabetes with the following four preventive measures:

• Daily at least one hour exercise (Sport) in school and kindergarten.
• Tax Adipogenic Foods and Relieve Healthy Foods (Sugar-Fat-Tax).
• Binding quality standards for kindergarten and school catering.
• Ban on minors advertising for overweight foods.

In addition, the DDG is committed to simple, easy-to-understand food labeling. (Fp)