the high rate is because of being able to afford to eat too much high carb food. People are eating high carb food because they know no better, as in Kuwait, where a massive education programme is happening.
One side of this thread is about poverty stopping people being able to afford healthy low carb food sufficient for their nutritional needs, and able to afford test strips etc, as in the UK it can be very hard to get testing equipment on the NHS. Its about someones ability to afford to treat their condition through dietary means and avoid complications.