‘Of overweight children under five, 27% live in Africa and 48% are in Asia.’

Ten per cent of the world’s population aged between 20 and 79 now live with diabetes.

New figures show global diabetes has increased by 16 per cent in the past two years, with 537 million adults (aged 20 to 79) now estimated to be living with the chronic condition.

Researchers say COVID has stopped us doing some of the things that help prevent and manage diabetes, leading to an increase in sedentary behaviour that they say was already at dangerous levels pre-COVID.

Some estimates indicate the pandemic has added an average three hours to our sitting time each day.

Data from the International Diabetes Federation’s 10th Diabetes Atlas shows about 10 per cent of the world’s population aged 20 to 79 now live with diabetes, and diabetes prevalence is predicted to steadily increase to around 784 million adults by 2045.

According to the atlas, the poorest are hit hardest by diabetes and it “is spiralling out of control”. The global survey found that:

• more than three in four adults with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries
• diabetes has caused at least $US966 billion dollars in health expenditure – a 316 per cent increase over the last 15 years
• diabetes was responsible for 6.7 million deaths in 2021 – one person every five seconds.

Researchers from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, writing in The Conversation, said regular movement is the key way to help manage diabetes and help prevent complications.

“Getting moving effectively improves glucose control, blood pressure, vascular health and memory,” they wrote.

‘The pandemic has added an average three hours to our sitting time each day.’