Diabetes Increases Around the Globe

Diabetes is not just an issue in the United States. Diabetes is a growing disease around the globe especially in China and India.

"China has the largest number over age 20, around 39 million people, or about 2.7 percent of the adult population, the federation says. The group says India has the second-largest number of cases, with an estimated 30 million people, or about 6 percent of the adult population.

There are many factors driving the growth in diabetes worldwide, but most experts agree that changes in lifestyle and diet are the chief culprits, in addition to genetic predisposition. As developing countries industrialize, people tend to do work involving less physical activity and eat food that is cheap but high in calories. The combination causes weight gain, which leads to greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease."