China’s diabetes epidemic

(Not many choices for Asian diabetics looking at Asian cuisine and restaurants. Is that true?) to a certain extent that’s correct, but in Beijing and other large cities we’re talking about an urbanization process that’s also equal to Coca-ization. (What is the Chinese government doing about this at the public health level?) They’re aware of it and there is a national diabetes program. In fact today is World Diabetes Today and there’s a strong emphasis in China on physical activity and correct diet. (If there is a diabetes threat, what effect could it have on China moving forward economically in the world?) The threat is already here, we’ve estimated there could be as many as 40 million people in China with diabetes, and that’s twice the population of Australia and by 2025 there could be 70 million people with diabetes, this could have a huge economic impact through impaired productivity in the nation apart from the personal costs. (Will that be all across China or just in urban areas?) It could be all across the country. This epidemic, the combination of obesity and diabetes, could bankrupt all these nations’ health budgets let alone China and it’s quite clear in this global economic crisis that health budgets are going to feel the crunch.