3.5 million people in Saudi are diabetic

Saudi Arabia has nearly 3.5 million diabetic people because of lack of awareness and exercises, bad health styles and obesity, according to a medical specialist.

Dr Abdul Aziz Al Taweem, a diabetes consultant at King Abdul Aziz Hospital in the Saudi Red Sea port of Jeddah, said the Gulf Kingdom needs at least 8,000 experts to support an awareness campaign to reduce diabetes cases in the future.

Speaking at a seminar, he said an estimated 382 million people in the world are suffering from diabetes and that the number if projected to rise to 500 million by 2030.

“Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries will be most affected by this increase,” he said, quoted by the Arabic language daily ‘Sabq’.

“This is because of the lack of awareness and exercise, obesity, bad eating habits and inadequate lifestyles. “Raising awareness through education campaigns is the best way to face this diabetic tsunami that is sweeping our region.”

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