UAE residents are receiving a diagnosis of diabetes between 11 and 19 years earlier than the worldwide average, figures from a health organisation show.
The highest population of diabetics falls into the 40 to 44-year-old range, compared with the global average of 55 to 59, the International Diabetic Federation (IDF) says.
"The younger distribution is a reflection of a rapidly developing epidemic where younger and younger people are experiencing radical changes in lifestyle - poor diet and low physical activity," said Leonor Guariguata, an IDF biostatistician.
"These combined with a low awareness of diabetes risk will inevitably lead to a rapid pace of development for the disease."
The Diabetes 2012 Atlas Update puts the UAE 11th globally for the disease and fifth regionally. Almost 19 per cent of the population has it.
Kuwait has the highest rate at 23.9 per cent, followed by Saudi Arabia at 23.4, Qatar 23.3, and Bahrain 22.4.
The updated figures were released ahead of World Diabetes Day, which is today.
They show there are 827,000 people between the ages of 20 and 79 with diabetes in the UAE. Of those, 322,000 are undiagnosed, nearly 39 per cent of those who have the disease.
The rate at which younger diabetics are emerging is alarming, experts say.
"Studies this year have shown diabetes that develops in adolescence progresses more rapidly and is more difficult to treat, meaning unless prevention starts early the situation will only get worse," Ms Guariguata said.
Dr Abdul Jabbar, an endocrinologist at Medcare Hospital, said he was starting to see more diabetes patients aged between 20 and 45.
"Before, it mostly appeared in people aged 50 and over," he said. "Now I'm beginning to see many younger patients."
Salah Al Badawi, director of the National Project for Control of Diabetes at the Ministry of Health, said the figures reflected an ongoing trend.
"It's the result of the rapid urbanisation that took over in most of the countries in the region, which [exposed] people in the population to fast food and made them prone to obesity," Mr Al Badawi said.
"People in the region don't eat healthily, they smoke and they lack physical activity. All these are risk factors to diabetes."
In 2009, the ministry launched a 10-year strategy to reduce diabetes in the country. This included primary prevention, timely diagnosis, access to quality treatment and strengthening tertiary care.
That diabetes is more prevalent in certain races and ethnicities is also a contributing factor, said Jesper Hoiland, global head of emerging markets for Novo Nordisk, a healthcare company based in Denmark that focuses on care for diabetics.
"We are seeing many people in the Middle East developing diabetes when they have a BMI [body mass index] of perhaps 23 to 25," Mr Hoiland said. "In the western world it usually appears when BMI is higher, perhaps around 27 to 30.
The UAE spends an average of Dh6,500 on each person with diabetes, the IDF says.
"The UAE has one of the lowest spending in the region and especially relative to the number of people with diabetes," Ms Guariguata said.
The update estimated diabetes will have killed 357,000 people in the region by the end of the year, compared with 280,000 last year.
By the end of this year, 34 million people in the region will have it.
mismail@thenational.ae
* This article has been corrected since it was published. A previous version of the article overstated that there are 1 million diabetics in the country.
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
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