The published findings highlight the need for immediate global action to address this epidemic, said the UN health agency.

The study was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a  worldwide network of 1,500 researchers and practitioners in collaboration with WHO. 

It is the first global analysis of trends in both diabetes rates and treatment coverage based on data from 140 million people across the world aged 18 or older.

The analysis revealed a doubling of diabetes cases from seven to 14 per cent between 1990 and 2022 with nearly 450 million adults – 60 per cent of those affected – remaining untreated. This emergency particularly impacts low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where 90% of untreated cases are located.

“We have seen an alarming rise in diabetes over the past three decades, which reflects the increase in obesity, compounded by the impacts of the marketing of unhealthy food, a lack of physical activity and economic hardship,” warned WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.