Diabetes epidemic in Asia

With 47 years of age, 1.46 meter length and 43 kilos weight, it would not be likely that Dung Phan has Diabetes Type 2. Diabetes type 2 is a disorder which is mainly diagnosed with older people that are overweight. Still, Dung Phan is a diabetes type 2 patient and she isn’t the only one in Asia.

Dung Phan’s case is part of a shocking trend that’s developing at rapid speed in Asia. There are numbers of patients having diabetes type 1 disorder, but more and more people are being diagnosed with diabetes type 2.

So, what is Diabetes? There are basically two types of diabetes:

Diabetes type 1 is the result of the pancreas not producing the insulin that is required for the body’s metabolism. Patients must inject themselves with insulin on a daily basis for the rest of their lives. This type of diabetes is strongly identified with genetic predisposition and often called childhood diabetes

Diabetes type 2 occurs when the insulin that the pancreas produces is not used properly in the body or just not enough because of for example obesity or physical inactivity. More than 90% of diabetes cases are diagnosed type 2. It is also the type that is growing rapidly in Asia. Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be relatively mild and therefore more easily controlled with medication. Its first symptoms are either negligible or insidious, and it is often not diagnosed for years, typically seen in people who do not visit a doctor regularly. However, if diabetes Type 2 is inadequately treated or not treated at all, it can be just as deadly in the long term as diabetes type 1. This type of diabetes is seen among adults over the age of 40, and it is also more linked to conditions such as obesity and physical inactivity, and there is also a genetic component.

In Asia however it seems that not only among adults over the age of 40, that are not physically active or with obesity, type 2 occurs. Even children are being diagnosed with the disorder. The youngest person in Vietnam diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is 11 year. In Japan the youngest type 2 patient is only 9 years old. In Singapore, the authorities have set up a “Trim and Fit” campaign to fight against the growing numbers among children with type 2 diabetes. The World Diabetes Foundation finds it alarming that children now suffer from the same disorder that for years was only being diagnosed with their parents or grandparents.

Diabetes is worldwide growing rapidly. Of all continents, Asia has the fastest growing number of people with diabetes. In India there’s a number of 33 million people with diabetes, China 23 million, Pakistan 9 million and Japan 7 million. The World Health Organization (WHO) alarms that the number of people with diabetes in Asia will grow with 90% for the next 20 years. This means that in this period another 330 million people will have diabetes. It will become the largest health threat for mankind of the 21ste century. Physical exercise and feeding will play an important role in this increased number of people with diabetes. Demonstrated is that in a region where a large number of bicycles were exchanged for motorcycles, the number of people with diabetes had been doubled. Furthermore people often eat outside their homes, where the food contains more calories. Investigation showed that a traditional chicken soup in a restaurant appears to contain 23% more calories then the homemade soup. In a city where one of the six children has obesity, three times a week eating in a restaurant, is not a positive development. Not only physical exercise and feeding play a role in the rising numbers of people with diabetes in Asia, it’s probably also in the genes. Studies show that some Indians particularly have these genes and not enough other genes that can protect them from developing this disorder.

The WHO acknowledges that there is still too little known about diabetes, even with the relief workers. For the authorities it is time to take action to put a halt to this epidemic and for every new case of diabetes to be prepared to offer necessary treatment for people with this disorder.