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Rising diabetes rate in young Pakistanis: women at greater risk


The Second International Conference on Diabetes 2011 (11-13 December) in Karachi, Pakistan, jointly organized by the Dow University of Health Sciences and the Diabetic Association of Pakistan, highlights the global rise of diabetes, the most widespread metabolic disorder in the world.

The International Diabetes Federation estimates that 285 million people worldwide have diabetes. By 2030, the number is expected to increase by 54% to 438.4 million and will mainly impact developing countries.

In Pakistan, currently 7th in the world in terms of their diabetic population, 7.1 million people are affected by diabetes. With an estimated prevalence of 7.6% of the total population, the number of Pakistanis affected by diabetes is expected to rise to 13.8 million by 2030, placing the country 4th in the world.

Diabetes is a chronic condition (i.e. lasting a long time, often for the duration of a person’s life) whereby insulin is no longer produced or not produced in sufficient amounts by the body. Insulin is essential for the conversion of glucose (sugar) into energy. When diabetics eat glucose (sugar is a common ingredient in most food, especially cakes, fruit, cereals and sweets), it can’t be converted into energy and instead it stays in the blood.

In Pakistan, 10% of young people have diabetes and the number is increasing. Females are slightly more affected than men with a ratio of 51% of females and 49% of men. But due to its complications, the diabetes death rate is higher in women. The Diabetic Association of Pakistan indicates that 53,000 females die every year in Pakistan due to diabetes, compared with 26,000 men every year. Diabetes causes premature deaths in both children and adults. The complications caused by diabetes include kidney failure, heart problems, and eyesight problems. About 12,000 Pakistanis become victim of retinopathy each year – an eye disease that can lead to impaired vision and blindness. More than 100 patients require foot surgery or amputation due to diabetes.

The Second International Conference on Diabetes promotes health care and early diagnosis to prevent diabetes and increase access to essential medicines. It also aims to develop and encourage best practice in diabetes policy, management, and education for prevention, managing the condition, and treatment. The Sindh Governor in Karachi announced the establishment of a diabetes research centre at the Dow University of Health Sciences and the promotion of innovative ideas such as telemedicine - the use of telecommunication and information technologies to provide clinical health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in rural communities. It is also used to save lives in critical care and emergency situations.
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