People with Diabetes Reached Over 400 Million in 2014; WHO Urges Global Action

The number of people with diabetes in the world has quadrupled to over 400 million in 2014 from 108 million in 1980, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In hopes of earning global attention, WHO released its first Global Report on Diabetes in line with the celebration of World Health Day.

Diabetes, according to Medline Plus, is a disease that occurs when the blood glucose or blood sugar is very high.

People with type 1 diabetes can't produce insulin while people with type 2 diabetes can't produce or use insulin well.

When the body doesn't have enough insulin, the glucose remains in the blood.

According to the report, 422 million people in 2014 have diabetes with a global prevalence of 8.5 percent in the adult population, up 3.8 percent from 4.7 percent in 1980.

In 2012, about 1.5 million died due to diabetes, while prediabetes caused an additional of 2.2 million deaths.

Prediabetes happens when a person has more than the normal level of glucose in the blood, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.

Out of the total 3.7 million diabetes-associated deaths, 43 percent died before reaching the age of 70.

According to the report from  EconoTimes, one of the major causes of the steady increase of people with diabetes is the increasing rate of obesity.

Other factors linked to the increase of diabetics globally are the increase in global population and the longer lifespan which increases the number of people susceptible to the illness.

ith the increasing number of people with diabetes, WHO is urging everyone to take necessary actions for its prevention and treatment.

One of its recommendations in fighting diabetes is prioritizing the prevention of people from becoming overweight and obese starting from birth to early childhood.

WHO. is also encouraging authorities to implement programs and policies to promote breastfeeding and the consumption of healthy food.