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2004 Chair.' Owen St C Morgan, CD The estimates for the global burden of diabetes
mellitus have required constant revision over the past
decade because of the explosive epidemic of diabetes
mellitus worldwide. This epidemic has been driven by the
parallel epidemic of obesity and increasing inactivity
due to urbanization, modernization and the growing
influence and penetration of processed foods. These
trends have their greatest potential impact in
populations of colour, who represent both the
fastest-growing populations worldwide and have the
highest risks for Type 2 diabetes mellitus and its
myriad complications. Indeed, the obesity epidemic is
accompanied by the risk of not only more Type 2 diabetes
mellitus, but also an explosive increase in the
prevalence of cardiovascular disease. There is great
urgency to stem the tide of these epidemics because of
the potential over?whelming econo-mic burden that will
result from increased cardiovascular complications.
Fortunately, we now have empiric evidence than in high
risk populations, it is possible to prevent development
of Type 2 diabetes melli?tus'by the introduction of
lifestyle changes. Increasingly, it will become more
important to resort to preventive strategies as we seek
to pre-empt the impact of these epidemics on our
children and adolescents, and in our ageing citizens. We
are indeed possessed of an impressive arsenal of
powerful pharma-cotherapeutics for the effective
treatment of diabetes mellitus and its clinical sequelae,
but this is clearly not the preferred or optimal route
for stemming the impact of the global diabetes mellitus
epidemic.
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