The global diabetes epidemic has reached alarming proportions, with over 800 million adults living with diabetes worldwide – more than quadrupling since 1990.
New data released in The Lancet on World Diabetes Day underscores the urgent need for action, revealing the scale of the crisis and its growing impact on health systems worldwide.
The research by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlights the escalating prevalence of the disease, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where treatment gaps remain widespread.
WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the world has seen an alarming rise in diabetes over the past three decades, reflecting the increase in obesity, compounded by the impacts of the marketing of unhealthy food, a lack of physical activity, and economic hardship.
“To bring the global diabetes epidemic under control, countries must urgently take action,” Ghebreyesus said.
“This starts with enacting policies that support healthy diets and physical activity, and, most importantly, health systems that provide prevention, early detection and treatment.”
The study, according to the WHO, also reveals substantial global differences in diabetes rates, with the prevalence of diabetes among adults aged 18 and older around 20 per cent in the WHO Southeast Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
Malaysia, like many nations, faces significant challenges in managing the disease.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 by the Institute for Public Health, diabetes was identified as one of the leading causes of deaths in Malaysia. The survey indicated that 3.6 million Malaysian adults have diabetes and that diabetes prevalence increases with age, yet many remain undiagnosed. Among young adults aged 18 to 29, 84 per cent are unaware they have diabetes.
To combat the soaring diabetes burden, WHO has launched a new global monitoring framework. This initiative is a crucial step in the global response, providing comprehensive guidance to countries in measuring and evaluating diabetes prevention, care, outcomes, and impacts.
In 2022, WHO established five global diabetes coverage targets to be achieved by 2030. One of these targets is to ensure that 80 per cent of people with diagnosed diabetes achieved good glycaemic control.
Locally, the Malaysian government announced in Budget 2025 that excise duties on sugar-sweetened beverages will be raised by 40 sen per litre starting Jan 1, 2025. The current rate is 50 sen per litre, and the new tax represents an 80 per cent hike.
Funds collected from the increased excise duties will be used for treatment and the procurement of medicine supplies, reflecting Malaysia’s push to reduce sugar consumption and curb the rise of diabetes.
