In 2017, 451 million adults worldwide were estimated to have Diabetes mellitus (DM). The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) projected that by 2045, a total of 693 million DM cases will be recorded worldwide. In South Africa, DM is among the rapidly escalating leading causes of death.
In 2009, more than 2 million people aged 30 years and older were diagnosed with DM. This is attributable to several factors such as South Africa’s increased urbanisation and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours including poor nutritional intake and a lack of exercise.
Additionally, the economic transition, an increase in the ageing population, the nutrition transition due to urbanisation and the increased obesity rate, have also contributed to the high prevalence of DM.
