25% of people in Kuwait are diabetic, highest in GCC: Report
Kuwait is among the top 10 countries with highest diabetes prevalence rate
Dubai: At least 25.5 per cent of Kuwaiti residents have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), making it the highest rate in the entire GCC region, local media reported.
KDS added that the prevalence of diabetes is increasing at alarming rates in the Gulf region, adding that Kuwait is among the Top 10 countries with the highest diabetes prevalence rate. Obesity is another growing health concern in Kuwait.
Citing the Kuwait Diabetes Society (KDS), the report stated that Kuwait also has the GCC’s highest obesity rate. The society also revealed that children in Kuwait spent most of their time on smart devices.
Kuwait is also among the Top 10 most obese countries in the world, with 74 per cent of the total population being overweight.
Although genetic risk factors can’t be ruled out in the context of T2DM in the Arab world, factors such as obesity, rapid urbanisation, and a lack of exercise are key determinants of the rapid increase in the rate of T2DM in the Arab world, the report stated.