This paper examines the global prevalence of diabetes, with a focused comparison between Europe and Africa. It outlines the two major types of diabetes — Type 1 and Type 2 — and discusses how factors such as obesity, Western dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, and limited healthcare access contribute to rising rates. The paper draws on International Diabetes Federation data, regional studies, and news reports to highlight the alarming growth of the disease, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and developing nations. It also considers the problem of underdiagnosis, geographical variation within regions such as Ireland, and projections suggesting worldwide diabetes rates will double by 2030.
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The rates of diabetes in the population vary in different parts of the world, presumably because of different eating habits. Many doctors cite obesity as a contributing issue — a problem now being examined as a treatable biochemical imbalance. The condition is defined as body weight of 20% or more above average and is a significant contributor to major illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke (Erickson 124). Eating habits include choices of food as well as the amount ingested, and some diets are more likely to produce diabetic conditions than others. A comparison of the rates of diabetes in Europe and Africa can be instructive in this regard.
Rates of diabetes vary throughout Africa, with some countries facing a much greater health crisis than others. Recent reports show that people from Cameroon are at particular risk, while rates throughout Africa are rising at an alarming rate. Thousands of people in Africa face the possibility of foot amputations because of the disease. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), some 194 million people had diabetes in the world in 2003, a figure expected to rise to 333 million by 2025. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are currently about 7 million people with diabetes, a figure that could rise to 15 million. In Cameroon, the rate of the disease in the population stands at 5%, but this is considered a conservative estimate, with 60% of incidence going undiagnosed (Atatah paras. 1–8).
The IDF notes that there are two types of diabetes, labeled Type 1 and Type 2, with different causes. Both types are related to a hormone called insulin that is produced by the pancreas to facilitate the absorption of blood sugar (glucose) by body cells. Diabetes is a chronic condition occurring when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it does produce.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that prevents the body from producing insulin, and it occurs most often in children and young adults, accounting for approximately 5 to 10% of people living with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make effective use of the insulin that is produced. According to the IDF, "Genetics, obesity, and lack of appropriate diet and physical activity are factors that appear to play a role in the development of Type 2 diabetes" (Atatah para. 11).
The disease often has no symptoms, or symptoms that are misunderstood. The foot problems associated with diabetes stem from changes the disease makes to the nervous system, so that feeling may be decreased in the extremities, often accompanied by swelling, and wounds may not heal as they should. In Africa, the increased threat to the feet derives from the fact that many people walk barefoot and that they also tend to seek solutions from traditional medicine first, which may leave the sufferer with no relief at all (Atatah paras. 1–15).
"Diabetes projected to double by 2030"
"European rates and undiagnosed cases"
"Western lifestyle impact across both regions"
"Ireland's Type 1 incidence and genetic factors"
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