Thailand faces diabetes crisis as new cases per year cross 300,000 mark
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has announced that based on 2022 figures, approximately 300,000 new diabetes patients are diagnosed in Thailand every year.
This number has doubled from 150,000 in 2021, pushing the total number of diabetes patients in Thailand to 3.3 million, DDC's deputy director-general Dr Direk Khampaen said.
November 14 has been designated as World Diabetes Day by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and this year’s theme is “Diabetes: Know your risk, know your response”.
According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, there are more than 537 diabetes patients globally, and nearly half of them are undiagnosed. Also, more than 90% of them have Type 2 diabetes.
The number of diabetes patients is expected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and to 783 million by 2045.
Dr Direk said people most at risk of developing diabetes are those who have a family history, are obese or have a thick waist and belly fat, suffer hypertension, have a sweet tooth, have insufficient physical activity, smoke or drink alcohol.
He said the best way to prevent diabetes is to make lifestyle changes, such as consuming more plant-based foods, reducing sweet, fatty and salty foods, getting regular physical exercise, maintaining mental well-being, getting enough sleep, stopping smoking and limiting alcohol intake.
Dr Direk noted a concerning rise in Thailand’s diabetes situation. He said this year’s statistics show that at least 5 million of the 22 million people aged 35 and above have not been screened for diabetes. He said annual screenings for this age group are crucial to ensure they maintain blood sugar levels below 100 milligrams per decilitre.
Meanwhile, he said, diabetes resulting from hormone dysfunction can lead to organ damage and complications in the eyes, kidneys, heart and brain blood vessels.
This, he said, can be avoided if people start managing their diet, going for regular medical check-ups and adhering to prescribed medications.
People experiencing symptoms like abnormalities to the feet or slow-healing wounds are advised to immediately visit their doctor.
Additional information can be obtained through DDC’s hotline at 1422.
