A recent review published in The Lancet examines how China - which in 1980 had a diabetes prevalence of less than 1% - currently has the largest number of people with diabetes in the world.
- China has more than 118 million people living with diabetes, accounting for over 12% of its population and about 22% of all diabetes cases globally.
- China’s massive economic growth over the last 50 years has led to lifestyle changes that could be contributing to this epidemic, such as a shifting diet that includes more ultra-processed and sugar-sweetened foods.
- Environmental factors also play an important role, with China’s population experiencing increased exposures to toxics - like air pollution and endocrine disrupting chemicals - that have been linked to diabetes.
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Diabetes is a critical public health challenge across the globe, with the affected population projected to grow to 1.31 billion by 2050. The authors of this paper emphasize the need for government action that goes beyond public education to include more effective measures like regulations on the industries contributing to harmful lifestyle and environmental factors.
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