Diabetes kills over 3 million per annum

Whilst this figure sounds extremely high, the fact is that diabetes or its direct results claim the lives of over 3 million people every year. This enormous global death toll includes direct deaths and indirect deaths and makes diabetes globally comparable to smoking (just fewer than five million deaths per annum) and above obesity (around two and a half million annual deaths.) The figures were published in leading journal, the Lancet.
The figure also raises questions about how effective current awareness campaigns are in reducing the scale of the problem . The majority of new diabetes cases are type 2, and a great many of these could be prevented through counselling and greater awareness.
Diabetes can cause death in a number of ways. When blood sugar levels in the body fluctuate over a long period of time, particularly if they are poorly managed, complications result. These can include heart problems, kidney disease, nerve damage and eye damage. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly dramatically reduces the risk of these complications.