The number of people worldwide living with diabetes could double within the next 30 years, according to a new study.
Cases are expected to rise from 529 million to 1.3 billion by 2050, CTV News reported. This phenomenon is due to a lack of an effective mitigation strategy to fight or reduce the disease, according to a study published in the British scientific journal The Lancet.
Although the number of cases will increase in each country, certain populations will be more affected than others, it is believed.
The researchers estimate that North Africa and the Middle East will see their number of cases climb to 16.8%, compared to 9.3% today. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 11.3% of people could suffer from diabetes.
Worldwide, experts expect the percentage to reach 9.5% within 30 years, while it currently stands at 6.1%.
Several factors explain this sudden growth, such as underfunded and ill-prepared health systems as well as socio-economic challenges – including poor diet, poverty and physical inactivity.
Although obesity also plays a role in this increase, the figures show that the disease affects older people more.
The study is made up of participants from 204 countries and territories, across 25 age groups. It has proven that the majority of cases in the world come from type 2 diabetes, which is associated with obesity.
Diabetes, types 1 and 2, represent major health risks and remain one of the top 10 causes of death and disability worldwide.
This data does not take into account the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.