Inequality and racism increase cases of diabetes in the world – 06/23/2023 – Equilíbrio

Difficult access to a healthy lifestyle and health services will help the number of cases of diabetes to double by 2050 and reach 1.3 billion people. The disease is already one of the leading causes of death and disability.

Inequality and racism are accelerating a global diabetes crisis and are expected to double the number of registered cases of the disease by 2050, reaching 1.3 billion, according to studies published in the scientific journals The Lancet and The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology .

According to the researchers, the discharge should occur in all countries and will be driven by cases of type 2 diabetes, a disease considered preventable. In 2021, these were already more than 90% of the 529 million diabetics registered around the world.

It is estimated that 6.1% of the global population currently lives with the disease, which is one of the ten main causes of death and disability – half of the reported cases were associated with high body mass indexes, a possible indication of overweight, but there are There are also other factors that influence this condition, such as genetics, eating habits, smoking, exercise and alcohol consumption.

It is certain that access to basic health services and a healthy lifestyle are also crucial. The researchers cite the changing eating habits of people around the world over the last 30 years, with more room for ultra-processed foods, but also blame a “growing cascade of inequality”, with logistical, social and financial barriers to accessing healthcare playing a role. important, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where death rates from the disease are twice as high as in high-income countries.

Latin America above the world average

According to the researchers’ forecasts, the prevalence of diabetes should reach 16.8% of the population in North Africa and the Middle East and 11.3% in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2050 – above the 9.8% projected globally.

Data show that even in wealthy countries like the United States, diabetes rates among minority population groups such as blacks, Latinos, Asians and indigenous peoples are nearly 1.5 times higher than rates among their white fellow citizens.

“Structural racism and geographic inequality amplify and exacerbate the social determinants of health and affect the care and treatment available to people with diabetes”, states an editorial published in The Lancet, which refers to diabetes as the “defining disease of this century”.

The pandemic has accentuated this unequal situation: people with diabetes are 50% more likely to develop a serious infection and twice as likely to die, especially if they belong to minority ethnic groups.

“Racist policies like residential segregation affect where people live, their access to good food and health care,” said Leonard Egede of the Medical College of Wisconsin and co-author of one of the studies.

Another researcher, Liane Ong, from the University of Washington, said that there is no single solution to solve the problem. Treating diabetes, he points out, requires long-term planning, investment and attention from all countries.