WHO sounds alarm bell on diabetes in SE Asia

* South East Asia must take vigorous and concerted action to “prevent, treat and beat” diabetes, a potentially fatal disease that has reached epidemic proportions and is expected to further increase in coming years.

* It will be the world’s seventh largest killer by 2030 unless intense and focused efforts are made by governments, communities and individuals.

* World Health Day this year focuses on diabetes and calls for scaling up efforts to prevent, care for and detect the disease to arrest the global epidemic which is hitting the low and middle income countries the most.

* Sedentary lifestyles coupled with sugary, salty and fatty diets rich in refined carbohydrates are driving the epidemic, which in South East Asia affects primarily those in their productive prime.

* Nearly 90% of all diabetes cases are of Type 2, largely the result of excess bodyweight and physical inactivity.