MENA’s diabetes landscape
According to the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence of diabetes in MENA stood at 18 percent in 2021. This figure is expected to soar by 2045, with more than 135 million adults forecasted to be living with diabetes in the region. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, exhibit particularly high rates of diabetes.Unraveling the diabetes complexities in MENA
Several interconnected factors contribute to the escalating diabetes crisis in the MENA region. Rapid urbanization, accompanied by sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary habits, has fueled the epidemic. As income levels rise and urbanization progresses, MENA populations are increasingly adopting diets high in fat, sugar, and processed foods. This shift in dietary patterns, coupled with a lack of emphasis on nutritional education, has exacerbated obesity rates, a primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. According to the National Health Survey, Saudi Arabia’s obesity rates in 2023 reached as high as 50 percent for females between 55 to 59 years old.Additionally, genetic predispositions among ethnic groups in MENA and South Asia contribute to insulin resistance, further increasing susceptibility to diabetes. Countries like Kuwait, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia rank among the highest globally in terms of diabetes prevalence, with a diabetes occurrence as high as 25 percent in Kuwait. According to the Internal Medicine Conference at Arab Health 2023, addressing the diabetes epidemic in the MENA region requires multifaceted interventions, including education, public health campaigns promoting healthier lifestyles, and improving the affordability and accessibility of insulin and other treatments. The cost per person with diabetes in MENA stood at approximately 1.4 thousand U.S. dollars per year in 2021, a third in comparison to that of Europe.
