Is there really an epidemic of type 2 diabetes?

Danuta Janeczko

Vol 7, No 4 (2006): Practical Diabetology

Review article

Submitted: 2012-01-02

Published online: 2006-07-12

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Is there really an epidemic of type 2 diabetes?

Danuta Janeczko

Diabetologia Praktyczna 2006;7(4):248-257.

Vol 7, No 4 (2006): Practical Diabetology

Review articles (submitted)

Submitted: 2012-01-02

Published online: 2006-07-12

Abstract

In this paper doubts according to "epidemic" of type 2 diabetes were discussed. Although in contrast to incidence of diabetes, prevalence of that disease increases worldwide, it is caused mostly by increased obesity, longer survival, lowering the diagnosis criteria for diabetes, earlier age of diagnosis, demographic changes, increased diagnostic activity leading to an increasing ratio of diagnosed:undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes prevention, improvement of treatment, and decreased mortality. In Poland about 5% of population (1 400 000 people), suffer from known diabetes, although the metabolic syndrome, disturbances of lipid metabolism, obesity, arterial hypertension are seen more often and because of that the name "diabetes epidemy" cause doubts, it can be statistic artefact.