The countries with the highest diabetes rates have been revealed, with the US and UK not making it into the top 50.
Data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) shows that 31% of the Pakistan population are living with the condition, making it the highest-ranking country for diabetes cases.
The table did not distinguish between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
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French Polynesia came second in the list, with 25.2% of its population having diabetes.
Meanwhile, Kuwait ranked third with 24.9% of the population living with the condition.
Prior studies have found that people from South Asia and the Middle East are genetically more resistant to insulin, putting them more at risk of developing diabetes.
The US finished 59th on the list, while the UK ranked number 136.
One in 10 people in America are living with diabetes and six per cent of the UK population have the condition.
More than 537 million people around the world were living with diabetes in 2021, the IDF reported. Approximately 90% of these people have type 2 diabetes, according to experts.
Top 20 countries with highest diabetes prevalence
- Pakistan – 31%
- French Polynesia – 25%
- Kuwait- 25%
- Nauru- 23%
- New Caledonia – 23%
- Northern Mariana Islands – 23%
- Mashall Islands – 23%
- Mauritius – 23%
- Kiribati – 22%
- Egypt – 21%
- Tuvalu – 20%
- American Samoa – 20%
- Solomon Islands – 20%
- Qatar – 20%
- Guam – 19%
- Malaysia – 19%
- Sudan – 19%
- Saudi Arabia – 19%
- Fiji – 18%
- Palau – 17%
In 2019, diabetes was the biggest cause of death, killing 1.5 million people, the World Health Organization has revealed.
In Pakistan more than 25% of adults with diabetes are unaware they are living with condition, the IDF has reported.
Previous research findings highlight that three quarters of adults living in Pakistan have an inactive lifestyle.
Experts believe that obesity is a key factor that has caused type 2 diabetes cases in the US and UK to skyrocket in recent years.
