by julian gomez  & Damaso Jaivenois
It’s published
A recent report by the International Federation of Diabetes shows that 66 million Europeans are currently affected by diabetes.
The figure could jump to 72 million people in 25 years, according to the umbrella organization that studies data from more than 250 National Diabetes Associations across 158 countries and territories.
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high levels of blood glucose and can lead to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves over time.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. A third of Europeans ages 20 to 79 are thought to be undiagnosed as they are thought to be living with their condition.
Within the European Union, the disease is most common among German adults, with 6.5 million people living in chronic health conditions. This is followed by Italy (5 million) and Spain (4.7 million).
Portugal, Croatia, Malta and Cyprus report the highest age adjustment, as about 10% of adults suffer from illness.
In contrast, the lowest age-adjusted prevalence in Ireland is seen in Ireland (3%), followed by the Netherlands (5%) and Austria (5.4%).
“Rate adjustments are a way to make a more equitable comparison between groups with different distributions,” the report states. “Age-adjusted rates are the rates that would have existed if the population under investigation had the same age distribution as the ‘standard’ population. ”
Increased type 2 diabetes
The report says Europe has the largest share of patients with type 1 diabetes in the world.
This particular type of disease is an autoimmune condition in which the body does not produce insulin. Type 1 usually develops early in life.
Nevertheless, this conclusion is a subject of caution, explaining that “data on the incidence and prevalence of children with type 1 diabetes is lacking and could affect the final number as it is collected primarily in high-income countries.”
What appears to be undeniable is the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Europe and around the world. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to use insulin effectively. It usually develops slowly over many years.
This rise is associated with higher levels of urbanization, aging populations and unhealthy habits.
Diabetes type 1 accounts for about 10% of all diabetes cases, and type 2 accounts for about 90%.
Around the world, diabetes-related health spending is over 1 trillion euros, which is estimated to account for 12% of the total global health budget.
