Cases of Adult Diabetes Double From 1980

Reuters:

"The number of adults with diabetes worldwide has more than doubled since 1980 to 347 million, a far larger number than previously thought . . . ."
. . .
"The estimated number of diabetics is markedly higher than a previous projections that put the number at 285 million worldwide. This study found that of the 347 million people with diabetes, 138 million live in China and India and another 36 million in the United States and Russia."

Though 70 percent of the rise in occurrence of diabetes is due to population growth and aging, 30 percent is due to increased incidence of the disease.

Elevated blood sugar and inadequate blood sugar control "can lead to serious complications like heart disease and stroke, damage to the kidneys or nerves, and to blindness" and presently causes 3 million deaths annually around the world. That number is expected to increase.

For a good understanding of what causes "inadequate blood sugar control" see Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It.