An estimated half a million people with diabetes in Flanders – Health

In Flanders, an estimated 500,000 people live with diabetes (type 1 or type 2) and every 17 minutes someone in Flanders receives a lifelong diagnosis of ‘diabetes’. The number of people with diabetes continues to increase alarmingly, the Diabetes League reports Wednesday on the occasion of the 30th edition of World Diabetes Day on 14 November. She calls for more investment in scientific research into diabetes.

“We still know too little about the causes of diabetes, its long-term consequences and the most appropriate treatment,” said the Diabetes League. In order to stimulate scientific research into diabetes in Flanders, the league has set up the Diabetes League Research Fund in collaboration with the King Baudouin Foundation. Currently, one in ten adult Flemish people has diabetes, but one in three cases is undiagnosed.

Type 1 diabetes, the least common form, is an autoimmune condition that mainly develops before the age of 40. However, about 95 percent of cases involve type 2 diabetes (formerly referred to as ‘adult-onset diabetes’). Type 2 diabetes usually has a dormant course, so that it sometimes goes unnoticed for years. Risk factors are obesity, lack of physical activity, age, family history of diabetes and a history of high blood sugar levels (eg gestational diabetes).

Those at risk can prevent the evolution to type 2 diabetes by more than half by living a healthy life, according to the Diabetes League. But diabetes can happen to anyone and six out of ten Flemish people are confronted with diabetes in their immediate environment. According to the Diabetes Liga, a recent study into knowledge about diabetes shows that the Fleming scores poorly on his or her knowledge about diabetes. 86 percent of those surveyed believe that more research should be done into the causes and treatment of diabetes.

“We still know too little about the causes of diabetes, its long-term consequences and the most appropriate treatment,” said the Diabetes League. In order to stimulate scientific research into diabetes in Flanders, the league has set up the Diabetes League Research Fund in collaboration with the King Baudouin Foundation. Currently, one in ten adult Flemish people has diabetes, but one in three cases is undiagnosed. Type 1 diabetes, the least common form, is an autoimmune condition that mainly develops before the age of 40. However, about 95 percent of cases involve type 2 diabetes (formerly referred to as ‘adult-onset diabetes’). Type 2 diabetes usually has a dormant course, so that it sometimes goes unnoticed for years. Risk factors are obesity, lack of physical activity, age, family history of diabetes and a history of high blood sugar levels (eg gestational diabetes). Those at risk can prevent the evolution to type 2 diabetes by more than half by living a healthy life, according to the Diabetes League. But diabetes can happen to anyone and six out of ten Flemish people are confronted with diabetes in their immediate environment. According to the Diabetes Liga, a recent study into knowledge about diabetes shows that the Fleming scores poorly on his or her knowledge about diabetes. 86 percent of those surveyed believe that more research should be done into the causes and treatment of diabetes.

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