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WHO number of diabetes patients is rising massively
More and more people in Germany are suffering from diabetes. Millions of them are unaware of their illness for a long time. The German social funds are burdened by diabetes similarly high as by the follow-up costs of smoking. The fight against diabetes is the focus of this year's World Health Day.
Number of diabetics could double
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 350 million people worldwide are currently affected by diabetes. Over the next 20 years, the number of patients could double. Around 60 million people in the WHO European Region suffer from so-called diabetes. The prevalence of the disease is increasing at all ages, with some Member States already affecting 10 to 15 percent of the population. "The increasing number of cases is mainly due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and obesity, as well as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and socio-economic deprivation," experts say on World Health Day 2016 on April 7, which focuses on the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
More and more people in Germany are suffering from diabetes. The social funds are burdened enormously. (Image: pittawut / fotolia.com) Burden on health systems
It goes on to say: "Diabetes is a burden not only for the people living with the disease, but also for the economies and health systems of the Member States." According to the German Diabetes Association (DDG), diabetes costs the German social security funds 35 per year Billion euro. This sum is comparable to the follow-up costs of smoking. "It is urgently necessary that high-risk patients, for example with obesity or the corresponding hereditary factors, be specifically examined for diabetes," said DDG Vice President Dirk Müller-Wieland to the German Press Agency. According to DDG data up to two million people in Germany know nothing about their disease.
Diabetes threatens serious sequelae
Because untreated diabetes can lead to long-term serious health problems such as kidney damage, arteriosclerosis, blindness and required leg amputations according to medical experts, in case of doubt, an early control of blood sugar should be performed. In addition, diabetes also increases the risk of potentially fatal cardiovascular disease (eg heart attack or stroke). Health experts therefore recommend classic symptoms such as severe thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, poor performance and poorly healing wounds. Unfortunately, diabetes is often only recognized when patients already have complications. That makes the treatment expensive, it says in the dpa message. According to DDG, the costs would normally be around 500 euros per year. In complications, however, they increased by four to eightfold.
Unique risk factors
While unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and obesity are considered clear risk factors in type 2 diabetes, they are not implicated in type 1 diabetes. Rather, it is due to misdirected immune system reactions that destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. This results in an absolute insulin deficiency and the body can no longer metabolize the blood sugar. Insulin syringes are the standard therapy for type 1, while type 2 usually focuses on changes in lifestyle. Often already losing weight can normalize insulin levels again. In the future, a vaccine might be available to protect against diabetes, researchers reported last year. (Ad)