Endocrinology

Biography

Biography: Asirvatham Alwin Robert

Abstract

It is well established that diabetes mellitus is associated with high early mortality, morbidity, vascular complications, and loss of health-related quality of life. In Saudi Arabia, it is emerging as an epidemic of massive proportions, threatening to negate the benefits of modernization and economic revival. According to a recent World Health Organization report, Saudi Arabia has the second highest rate of diabetes in the Middle East region and is seventh highest in the world. The projected number of people living with diabetes in Saudi Arabia is about 7 million, and nearly 3 million people have pre-diabetes, leading to a public health problem. On the other hand, more worrying perhaps, is the rising trend of diabetes observed in Saudi Arabia over recent years, and diabetes has seen an almost 10-fold increase over the past three decades. In addition, Saudi Arabia faces a number of challenges in diabetes management, including rising prevalence, lifestyle transition, delayed diagnosis, lack of awareness, and high cost of treatment. According to earlier studies from Saudi Arabia, many young adults are diagnosed with the devastating disease; therefore, it is recommended that every Saudi aged 30 years or more should be screened for both type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes to comprise the disease. It is clear that the burden diabetes mellitus will have on Saudi Arabia is likely to increase to tragic levels unless a comprehensive epidemic control program/multidisciplinary approach is rigorously executed. Such an approach would include promoting healthy diet, exercise, and active lifestyles as well as curbing obesity. Also, a national prevention program which will screen for diabetes and address the modifiable risk factors at the community level, focusing on high-risk groups, needs to be executed as early as possible.