ISLAMABAD: World Diabetes Day is being observed today (Saturday) to recognize the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts to promote and improve human health, and provide access to treatment and health-care education.

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2020 is "The Nurse and Diabetes." The campaign aims to raise awareness around the crucial role that nurses play in supporting people living with diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood.

Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation. Healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

In addition diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with medication, regular screening and treatment for complications.

Globally, an estimated 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, rising from 4.7 percent to 8.5 percent in the adult population.

This reflects an increase in associated risk factors such as being overweight or obese. Over the past decade, diabetes prevalence has risen faster in low and middle-income countries than in high-income countries