Diabetes is a chronic disease that leads to the body’s inability to manage glucose levels, causing excess blood sugar. The most common form is type 2 diabetes, which occurs mainly in obese and overweight people and can be prevented through nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
The Spanish and Italian model of healthcare is a virtuous model in terms of organization and also costs in the European context.
What we need to know about Diabetes
Diabetes is now one of the global health emergencies. The urgency does not only refer to type 2 diabetes but, surprisingly, also to type 1, which has always been characteristic of young people, which in recent years has changed its appearance. Cases of type 1 diabetes that occur in people over the age of 30 are no longer rare, moreover, there is an increase in the total incidence of new cases.
The epidemiological increase in diabetes is ubiquitous in all European countries, with a similar general trend for major Western European states. More and more people from opinionesespana.es complain that they suffer from this disease from year to year.
The number one enemy of people with diabetes is carbohydrates, so it is essential to avoid high blood sugar levels, caused by foods with a high glycemic index. The good part is that in Spain, there are many help centers for people with diabetes. One of the solutions that these people can try is the exante diet, very popular against this disease.
The annual direct costs for diabetes are currently € 15 billion: despite a very large figure, it is much lower than in other European countries comparable in size and importance of healthcare.
One reason for this economic advantage is also attributed to our capillary care for diabetics, with anti-diabetes centers spread throughout the country. This allows for better results at lower costs than the rest of Europe.
Spain is also exemplary on a crucial aspect in the management of the diabetic patient, namely the time that elapses between the diagnosis of the disease and the start of pharmacological treatment. The speed of this period is considered very relevant in terms of clinical benefit and expresses in itself the organizational capacity that aims at very practical and fast results.
Diabetes in Spain
According to the latest WHO data published in 2018, deaths in Diabetes in Spain reached 10,074 or 2.99% of total deaths. The age-adjusted death rate is 6.82 per 100,000 inhabitants Spain ranks # 165 in the world. Examine other causes of death by clicking on the links below or selecting the full health profile.
If we refer only to those aged 65 or over, 25.9% of the population has diabetes. We could say that diabetes is becoming a pandemic since the increase in the number of people affected is reduced at all latitudes.
The data surpasses the worst predictions, as it shows that 13.8% of Spaniards over the age of 18 have type 2 diabetes, which equates to more than 5.3 million compatriots. Of these, almost 3 million have already been diagnosed, but 2.3 million, 43% of the total, did not know they had the disease.