Diabetes is a serious condition for the individual. There is also a serious concern at the global level. The following facts and figures can testify the magor concern:

• In 1998, an estimated 143 million people worldwide had diabetes.
• In 1985, i.e. 13 years ago an estimated 30 million people worldwide had diabetes. This means that, today, the global prevalence of diabetes is almost five times as high as it was a little more than a decade ago.
• The number is expected to rise to almost 300 million by the year 2025
• This alarming increase is projected to occur because of population ageing, unhealthy diet, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
• All over the world traditional lifestyles and dietary patterns that have sustained people over generations are disappearing. Socio-economic realities mean that families are urbanized as they seek employment. Rapid industrialization is taking its toll. Diabetes will increasingly concentrate in urban areas in the future.
• An important contributing factor to the projected increase in diabetes is the situation in developing countries.