NCD Watch

Diabetes: An Overview

7 November 2023 (Tue)

Diabetes mellitus (or simply called diabetes) occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Diabetes would affect many different organ systems in the body and, over time, can lead to serious complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and blindness. The World Health Organization has identified diabetes as one of the priority non-communicable diseases requiring urgent global actions.

Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among local population as well. The Department of Health (DH) conducted the Population Health Survey 2020-22 and observed that 8.5% of non-institutionalised persons aged 15-84 had diabetes or raised blood glucose, including 5.4% self-report doctor-diagnosed diabetes and 3.1% with no self-reported history but had raised blood glucose or glycated haemoglobin by biochemical testing. The prevalence increased with age from 0.6% among persons aged 15–24 to 19.0% among persons aged 65–84. Additionally, there were 661 registered deaths attributed to diabetes with a crude death rate of 9.0 per 100 000 population in 2022.

Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, a family history of diabetes and increasing age. Regardless of genetic risk (such as having a family history of diabetes), healthy living can prevent type 2 diabetes or delay its onset. Thus, members of the public are encouraged to keep a healthy body weight and optimal waist circumference, be physically active, eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and refrain from alcohol consumption.

Another key to lower the risk of complications from type 2 diabetes is screening for high blood glucose with early detection and intervention if indicated since type 2 diabetes is often asymptomatic in early stages. Screening for type 2 diabetes should begin at age 45. Based on the presence of diabetes risk factors and previous results, screenings should be conducted every one to three years. Members of the public are encouraged to consult their family doctors if they have any questions about diabetes or relevant screening recommendation.

The DH will continue to work in close partnership with other government departments and community partners with a view to enhancing people’s health literacy, increasing public awareness about the importance of healthy living in diabetes prevention, and building a healthy living environment.

Source: NCD Watch November 2023