Vietnam is among countries that have the highest growth rate of diabetes patients worldwide with the current over 6% of its total population, versus only 2.7% in 2001, said Nguyen Thi Lam, deputy head of the National Nutrition Institute. The information was released at a conference on solutions to diabetic patients under framework of the 18th Vietnam International Medical, Hospital and Pharmaceutical Exhibition 2011 held in Hanoi from May 11-14. The country is forecast to have between 7 million-8 million people suffering from diabetes by 2025, more than 90% of them belonging to the type 2, Lam attributed. Diabetes often attacks adults aged between 30 and 64, Lam said, however, warning that the number of kids and teenagers, even two-month-old babies, with diabetes have been on the rise in recent years. Between 80% and 90% of diabetic patients in developing countries, including Vietnam are in delitescence period, which is higher than developed nations with 30%, showed statistics of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Most of these people are unaware of the diabetes’ danger and even don’t know their illness until its complications appear, they attributed. Unhealthy lifestyle, lack of physical activities and improper nutritional regime are blamed to the rising rate of diabetic patients in the country, Nguyen Thi Xuyen, deputy health minister said. Diabetes usually results in serious complications like blindness and kidney failures, Xuyen said, adding that the disease cannot be cured yet, but 80% of type 2 diabetes patients can change the course of the disease with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Last year, more than 32,000 Vietnamese people were likely to die from diabetes’ complications in 2010. Diabetes ranks the fourth among diseases causing the highest fatality rate in the Southeast Asian country, experts noted. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi May 13 p5. Tien Phong – Pioneer May 13 p5)
