Diabetes disease is increasing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 9% of adults (18+ years) worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030. In 2012, an estimated 1.15 million people died directly from diabetes (see http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/) .

Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. Almost half of diabetes deaths occur in people under the age of 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women. WHO projects those diabetes deaths will increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action. Most notably, diabetes deaths are projected to increase by over 80% in upper-middle income countries between 2006 and 2015.

There are excellent information web sites on diabetes. Below is our selection:

How diabetes works” explained for non-medical people by Yahoo

http://health.howstuffworks.com/diabetes.htm/printable

About diabetes, by the International Diabetes Federation

http://www.idf.org/about-diabetes

Clinical management of diabetes:

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12/ch158/ch158a.html

The official WHO site on diabetes

http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/