20% growth in 7 years
The mainland newspaper Diário de Notícias reports that on the 16th, the National Diabetes Observatory will release the latest diabetes data made available by the Ministry of Health for the last three years (2019, 2020 and 2021). And the balance is worrying: the number of people with the disease has increased by 20% in seven years, and Portugal is in the top 3 in Europe in terms of prevalence. The scientific community says that something is failing and that it is necessary to increase the response in consultations, screenings and treatments.
When asked what portrait of our country the latest data analyzed by the National Diabetes Observatory (OND) draws, doctor João Raposo, president of the Portuguese Society of Diabetology, is peremptory: “It is the portrait of a country that has evolved very little in terms of to achieve better health outcomes.” That is, “we have considered diabetes a priority problem for years, which has a national plan to curb its growth, but we are not managing to carry out that mission”. He believes the situation has become so critical that as many as 40% of national citizens have diabetes without knowing it.
40% of Portuguese may have diabetes without knowing it
The document, which the Diário de Notícias had access to, reflects the assessment made of data for 2019, 2020 and 2021, provided by the Ministry of Health itself, revealing that the estimated prevalence of the disease in the population aged between 20 and 79 years (in a total of 7.8 million individuals) is 14.1% – about 1.1 million people in this age group. This means that “we cannot let our guard down in the relentless fight against the diabetes pandemic”.
Thanks to PeterA for the link
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I saw the same story in the Portugal Resident:–
https://www.portugalresident.com/40-of-portuguese-have-diabetes-without-knowing-it/
“This means that “we cannot let our guard down in the relentless fight against the diabetes pandemic”.
“NOUN
a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over a whole country or the world at a particular time:”
Diabetes is a non- infectious disease that can last the whole of someone’s life. Diabetes is caused by our pancreas no longer producing insulin and your body not producing amylease which is an enzyme used to break down food.
Ministry of Health?
George, don’t forget that there are different types of diabetes;
1. Type 1 that you are born with. No cure, insulin injections required. Can lead to a number of nasty conditions including blindness.
2. Type 2 that develops later in life. Often associated with obesity treated with diet and tablets. Weaker variants often treated by diet alone.
Thank you Maurice. I have an interest in Diabetes, I was diagnosed as a Type 2 risk about six years ago. 12 Stone 7 Pounds, took a deep breath, knocked the booze on the head, one slice of toast for breakfast, nothing for lunch, a cooked evening meal, served on a small side plate and in six months lost two stone. My diabetes number reduced from 48, you are a diabetic, to 40, you are not a diabetic and my BMI was where it should be. I eat the wrong things, steak, chips, fry ups, roasted joints and now drink about a third of a bottle of red wine a day. All the things my Dad and Mom would have killed for. After a while it becomes a habit and at our age you just don’t need the amount of food. I had my 12monthly blood test a couple of weeks ago, read to me by a Diabetics Nurse, whose backside covered two Post Codes and pronounced OK, we’ll see you next year. I have to ask why, I have three friends all with the same story. On top of this we have a Diabetic Eye Testing facility, at the local hospital, offered us annually, when we’ve just been told we’re OK. But it seems Surgeries are rewarded if they can justify the number of patients to employ a diabetics nurse. So it’s a self sustaining thing that fills our surgeries, hospitals and burdens our blood testing facilities. My local surgery has just bought the one in the neighbouring village. I had a problem with my wife’s prescriptions and was told by the Head Receptionist, “The trouble is we’ve got too many patients. ”
Now I’ve got that off my chest the point I was trying to make was, Diabetes is not an infectious disease and the best anyone can do is, Keep your weight down.
Well I avoid refined sugar and unnecessary carbs to keep my blood sugar down. Just had blood tests and passed ok! But, I do need to lose a couple of stones to stay on the safe side.
Maurice, a couple of stone is quite a target, unless you go on a physical and diet regime and who needs physical at our age? I’m due in Madeira shortly, just dropping from 11 stone to ten and a half. Funny thing is although we will have 14 extremely good restaurant meals, 14 bottles of wine, four gallon of Coral, the only time I drink beer now, not to mention the gratis Madeiras and Macieras I don’t put weight on. Mind you walking down to the Old Town twice a day, 8 Klm. helps.