Warning of a 'Diabetes Tsunami' in Iran; Seven Million People Affected by This Disease

A member of the board of the Iranian Society of Internal Medicine warns that a 'serious warning and alarm' regarding diabetes has been sounded in Iran. According to ILNA news agency, Alireza Estehami announced that 'more than 14% of the population over 20 years old, or about seven million people, are affected by diabetes,' adding that '15 to 20% of the population also have prediabetes, many of whom will develop diabetes and increase the number of patients.' He emphasized that measures must be taken to prevent the 'diabetes tsunami' and its 'huge costs' on health economics, stating that this warning was given when about two to three million diabetes cases were identified, but 'no attention was paid.' Reports indicate that five years ago, diabetes statistics included 11% of Iran's population, and according to this specialist, if the disease continues to increase at this rate, more than 10 million people in Iran will be affected by diabetes in the near future. Recently, the deputy of the Statistics and Information Technology Center of the Health Insurance Organization of Iran announced that the most prescribed and consumed medications in Iran are diabetes drugs. Furthermore, it was reported that 240 million Metformin medications were prescribed last year, a 30% increase compared to the previous year. Official statistics show that the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, Fars, and Tehran are the highest prescribers of diabetes medications. The issue of drug shortages and high treatment costs for diabetes in Iran also makes headlines from time to time; for instance, it was recently reported that insulin is being sold on the black market at 'ten times the price' instead of reaching diabetic patients, or is being smuggled to neighboring countries. In this context, many doctors have repeatedly warned against the promotion of so-called 'traditional' treatments on the Islamic Republic's radio and television, which lack medical and scientific basis and have serious side effects. WHO statistics show that the number of people with diabetes rose from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. The prevalence of diabetes in low- and middle-income countries is increasing at a faster rate than in high-income countries. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and amputations. A healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight, and avoiding tobacco are some ways to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Several specialists have warned that the economic conditions in Iran are pushing people towards unhealthy diets and lifestyles, making them susceptible to various diseases, including diabetes.