Global study highlights vast under-treatment of diabetes

Nearly half a billion people on the planet have diabetes, but most of them aren't getting the kind of care that could make their lives healthier, longer and more productive, according to a new global study of data from people with the condition.

Only 1 in 10 people with diabetes in the 55 low- and middle-income countries studied to receive the type of comprehensive care that's been proven to reduce diabetes-related problems, according to the new findings published in Lancet Healthy Longevity. That comprehensive package of care - low-cost medicines to reduce blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels; and counselling on diet, exercise and weight - can help lower the health risks of under-treated diabetes.

Those risks include future heart attacks, strokes, nerve damage, blindness, amputations and other disabling or fatal conditions. It was analyzed data from surveys, examinations and tests of more than 6,80,000 people between the ages of 25 and 64 worldwide conducted in recent years. More than 37,000 of them had diabetes; more than half of them hadn't been formally diagnosed yet but had a key biomarker of elevated blood sugar.

The fact that diabetes-related medications are available at very low cost, and that individuals can reduce their risk through lifestyle changes, mean that cost should not be a major barrier. In fact, studies have shown the medications to be cost effective, meaning that the cost of their early and consistent use is outweighed by the savings on other types of care later.