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World Diabetes Day marked by call for international action

11/14/2007

NEW YORK Today marks the inaugural United Nations World Diabetes Day, organized by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization. As part of the new global movement towards diabetes care and prevention, the Global Partnership for Effective Diabetes Management, a taskforce of international diabetes experts committed to treating Type 2 diabetes, has issued a new publication titled: U.N. Resolution on Diabetes—“Time to put fine words into action”. In the publication, the partnership urges national governments, the general population and the global diabetes community to take action and share the responsibility in the global fight against diabetes.

The major concern for the United Nations as well as the global partnership is the staggering amount of people diagnosed with diabetes around the world and the number that expects predict it will rise to by 2025.

Worldwide, diabetes currently affects 246 million people. By 2025, it is expected to affect almost 400 million and the WHO estimates increases in diabetes rates will occur in developing countries because of population growth, ageing, unhealthy diets, obesity and sedentary lifestyles. Further, WHO estimates that in 2025, most people with diabetes in developed countries will be aged 65 years or older, while in developing countries most people aged 35 to 64 will be affected in their most productive years. The IDF predicts that in this same time frame, the largest prevalence of diabetes will be in developing countries.

The global partnership has provided some actions to be taken in order to increase diabetes awareness and care around the globe: diabetes should be prioritized as a public health initiative. Collaborative efforts between global and regional diabetes associations and governments enable improved, earlier and more intensive diabetes care with improved outcomes. Non-governmental organizations can be an important third pillar supporting the foundation for a change in diabetes care.

The new publication appears in the December issue of the International Journal of Clinical Practice and is currently available online at the journal’s Web site at www.blackwell-synergy.com.

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