Today, November 14th, we celebrate World Diabetes Day, an important occasion to raise awareness and inform the public about this chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide. World Diabetes Day is dedicated not only to educating the public about the causes, symptoms, and impact of diabetes but also to supporting efforts for prevention and improving the quality of life for those living with this condition.
What is Diabetes?
According to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body cannot effectively regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, can affect people of any age, though it is most common in children and young adults. On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes is often preventable, with risk factors including excess weight, lack of physical activity, and genetic predisposition.
Lifestyle plays a significant role in the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. To prevent this disease, the World Health Organization offers several recommendations:
- Adopt a balanced diet that supports a healthy body weight and includes a variety of foods. It is best to avoid processed foods, refined sugar, and saturated fats.
- It’s not only what we eat that matters, but also how we organize our meals. Smaller, regular meals throughout the day can help maintain consistent blood sugar levels.
- Incorporating enjoyable physical activities into your daily routine, such as walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, or other sports, is essential for prevention.
Global and Romanian Diabetes Prevalence – InfoCons Informs You!
According to Romania‘s National Institute of Statistics, the number of Type 2 diabetes cases has significantly increased worldwide over the past three decades:
- Approximately 1 in 10 adults globally has diabetes, and over 90% of them have Type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that nearly half of diabetes cases remain undiagnosed.
- In 2021, about 537 million adults aged 20 to 79 were diagnosed with diabetes. According to forecasts, this number could reach 643 million by 2030, and exceed 783 million by 2045, which would mean 1 in 8 adults—an increase of 46%.
- Three out of four adults with diabetes live in low- or middle-income countries.
In Romania, in 2022, approximately 1.27 million people with diabetes were registered at specialized clinics in diabetes, nutrition, and metabolic diseases. Of these, 6 out of 10 patients had at least one associated complication: 16.8% were dealing with polyneuropathy and stroke, 13.8% suffered from retinopathy (eye conditions), and 9.8% had obliterating arteriopathy.
Thus, InfoCons provides consumers with the European InfoCons App, which allows them to scan the barcode of food products and instantly find out the sugar content of the items they intend to consume. Moreover, the European InfoCons App facilitates the creation of shopping lists, daily and weekly menus, and recipes to determine the total amount of sugar, salt, calories, and food additives. This information enables consumers to decide which products to keep and which to replace, to avoid exceeding the maximum recommended sugar intake set by the World Health Organization.
Additionally, through the “My Choice” section of the European InfoCons App, consumers can select the maximum quantities of sugar, salt, calories, the number and type of food additives, as well as allergens. When scanning the barcode of food products, the European InfoCons App will indicate whether the product falls within their consumption preferences.
InfoCons – European Organization for Consumer Protection and Promotion of Programs and Strategies , a full member of the World Organization Consumers International , founding member of the Federation of Consumer Associations , and member of ANEC .