New research reveals the prevalence of diabetes has risen or at best remained unchanged in virtually every part of the world over the last three decades. The number of adults with diabetes reached 347 million in 2008, more than double the number in 1980. Diabetes occurs when the cells of the body are not able to take up sugar in the form of glucose. As a consequence, the amount of glucose in the blood is higher than normal. Over time, this raises the risk of heart disease and stroke, and can also cause damage to the kidneys, nerves and retinas. High blood glucose and diabetes are responsible for over three million deaths worldwide each year.
Read more at Imperial College London/Harvard School of Public Health
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