Global number of adults with diabetes has quadrupled

The number of adults with diabetes worldwide has quadrupled in 35 years, according to a new study.

Diabetes has increased from affecting 108 million people in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, the analysis of 751 studies published in the Lancet has found.

Rates of the progressive condition are rising rapidly in low and middle income countries including India and China.

While the study did not differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the researchers said that most of the increase would be down to type 2, which is generally caused by lifestyle factors including obesity.

Majid Ezzati, senior author from Imperial College London, said: ‘Diabetes has become a defining issue for global public health.

‘An ageing population, and rising levels of obesity, mean that the number of people with diabetes has increased dramatically over the past 35 years.’

Rates of diabetes were relatively stable in western Europe, with increases put down to an ageing population.

Diabetes UK said there are about 4 million people with diabetes in the UK, including about 500,000 people believed to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Read the paper here.