To meet 14/11. – World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14 on the birthday of Sir Frederick Benting, who in 1922, together with Charles Best, discovered Insulin.

On this day, the world’s largest campaign is launched, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of diabetes problems and the complications it causes.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic non-communicable diseases and is a major public health problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which promoted this day, emphasize that the number of patients is constantly increasing. It is estimated that in 2019, there were 463 million patients in the world, and the projection is that by 2040, there will be as many as 642 million patients. 75% of patients are in low- and middle-developed countries. There is actually talk of a pandemic.

To meet 14/11. – World Diabetes Day, dr Sandra JovanovićThe changes that affect the constant increase in the number of people with diabetes are:

  • an increase in the number of people over the age of 65 in the total population
  • an increase in the number of obese
  • accelerated population growth in developing countries (it is estimated that 2/3 of diabetics in developing countries)

Developed countries show an increasing incidence of Diabetes Mellitus in people over the age of 65, while developing countries are characterized by the highest frequency in the working population of people aged 45 to 64 years.

Based on the data of the Institute of Public Health “Dr. Milan Jovanovic Batut” from 2016:

  • In Serbia, 750,000 people suffer from diabetes – 10.3% of the population
  • the ratio of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes is 5% to 95%
  • it is considered that half of the patients are undetected (primarily type 2 Diabetes Mellitus)
  • it is estimated that half of the patients are over 65 years of age

At the end of the 20th century, industrialization, urbanization, economic development and globalization of the market led to great changes in the way of life, diet and health of the population, especially in developing countries. Decreased physical activity, obesity, stress, alcohol abuse and smoking with a genetic basis, result in the development of diabetes, arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. These are the so-called mass non-communicable diseases that are the main cause of morbidity and mortality today.

It is estimated that almost half of the patients are undetected (primarily with type 2 diabetes), the recommendation of the World Health Organization-WHO is screening, detection of the disease at the earliest stage among the population with risk factors.

Complications of Diabetes Mellitus can be microvascular: retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy; macrovascular complications: cardiovascular (angina pectoris and myocardial infarction), cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities.

Diabetics in relation to non-diabetics have:

  • 2-4 times higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, which is the leading cause of death in these patients
  • 2 times higher risk of stroke
  • They have amputation of the lower extremities 10 times more often
  • Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal failure
  • Diabetes Mellitus causes complications in the blood vessels of the retina-Diabetic retinopathy, which is one of the leading causes of visual impairment and even blindness
  • 1 in 3 people with diabetes has Diabetic Retinopathy

It is clear that for all the above reasons, you should not delay checking your blood sugar level, and if you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, be sure to check your eyesight regularly in order to preserve it with appropriate therapy.

To meet 14/11. – World Diabetes Day, dr Sandra Jovanović