Guy Barnett with Young Leaders President Alex Silverstein from the UK
Type 2 diabetes is a preventable pandemic that has gone global, said Guy Barnett Diabetes Australia Ambassador today on his return from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Conference in Barcelona Spain.
“Four out of five new cases of type 2 diabetes in the world are in low and middle income countries. China has an estimated 114 million people with type 2 diabetes and India 64 million. Rapid economic growth has brought millions out of poverty, but with it access to energy-dense food high in salt, sugar and fat, televisions and technology, sedentary lives at work and at home, improved but ‘non-active’ transport and more urban living.
“Western lifestyles, like the internet have gone global.
“There are an estimated 366 million people with diabetes in the world and that is expected to rise to 552 million by 2030 or an extra 10 million each year. 4.6 million people die from the disease each year, being one person every 7 seconds, more than double the deaths from AIDS and malaria combined.
“An ageing population and the highest levels of obesity and chronic disease in the country all work against us in Tasmania.
“For the first time since 1988 the World Diabetes Congress will be held in Australia this year. Eight to ten thousand of the best global minds will be here to help find solutions to this pandemic that has gone global.
“I was one of many Australians at the European conference and I reported to the Board of the International Diabetes Federation meeting in Barcelona,” he concluded.
Guy Barnett, Ambassador for Diabetes Australia
