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Long-term data, planning needed to tackle diabetes epidemic in China
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In a series looking at the effect of increasing diabetes rates in China, researchers call for increased efforts from the government, more in-depth consideration of pathophysiological differences in Chinese patients and treatment methods that target those differences.
“While we await the results of long-term strategies from the China National Plan for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Treatment (2012-15) including tobacco control and universal screening for gestational diabetes, we advocate the use of a targeted proactive approach to identify people at high risk of diabetes for prevention, and of private-public community partnerships that make care more accessible, sustainable, and affordable focusing on registry, empowerment, and community support,” Juliana Chan, MBChB, MD, FRCP, FHKAM, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said in a press release. “As this epidemic continues to unfold, every individual must join in the grand challenge of creating a multidimensional solution to minimize its effects on societal, family, and personal health.”
Researchers covered the intersection of quick socioeconomic development when not counteracted by protection of health, environment and society, resulting in 11.6% of Chinese adults diagnosed with diabetes and 50.1% with prediabetes.
“Especially alarming is that most adults with diabetes are undiagnosed (70% of all cases), only a quarter of people with diabetes have received treatment and that the disease is controlled in just 40% of those treated,” Guang Ning, MD, PhD, immediate past president of the Chinese Endocrine Society, said in a press release.
As Chan said, methods have been put into place, including lifestyle intervention and smoking reduction, but the researchers also called for improvement in health literacy, optimization of maternal health, promotion of breast-feeding and improvement in childhood nutrition.
“Given the increased long-term risk of complications in people with young-onset diabetes, the potential economic and health burden associated with this epidemic is very alarming. In 1993, the cost of diabetes treatment in China was 2.2 billion RMB, but the projected cost for 2030 is 360 billion RMB, which highlights the critical importance of prevention,” Ronald Ching Wan Ma, MBBChir, FRCP, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said in the release.
Lastly, the researchers called for more data on how new medical interventions affect Chinese patients and identifying the best treatments for those patients, as they often show significant beta-cell deterioration, as opposed to following guidelines from the United States and Europe.
For more information:
Chan JCN. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70144-5.
Ma RCW. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70145-7.
Yang W. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70136-6.
Disclosure: Chan has relationships with the Asia Diabetes Foundation and the Yao Chung Kit Diabetes Assessment Centre. Ma has various relationships and has received grants. Please see studies for full disclosures.