Addressing Social and Cultural Drivers of Type 2 Diabetes is Key to Its Treatment and Prevention

Berlin (ots/PRNewswire) -

New research shows healthcare services and public health
strategies aimed at reducing the burden of type 2 diabetes may prove
ineffective, unless they address social and cultural factors.[1]
Researchers linked factors such as food traditions and traditional
gender roles to increasing vulnerability to diabetes in cities[1],
where three-quarters of people with the disease are set to live by
2045.[3] The findings from the Cities Changing Diabetes research were
presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for
the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2018) in Berlin, Germany.

"For many years, diabetes has continued to rise at an alarming
rate despite the best efforts of policymaker and healthcare
providers," says David Napier, professor of Medical Anthropology at
University College London (UCL). "In order to turn the table on this
devastating and costly disease, we need to think differently and
adopt new approaches. When public health strategies and individual
care plans take into account the prevailing local cultures and
associated conventions and behaviours, they are much more likely to
be successful."

Fuelled by rapidly increasing rates of obesity, diabetes could
affect one in nine adults by 2045 - more than 730 million people.[2]
Within the same time frame, annual diabetes-related healthcare costs
are expected to increase by 39% from 775 billion US dollars to more
than 1 trillion dollars, further highlighting the urgency for
action.[4]

Within their findings, researchers pointed to a number of social
and cultural factors contributing to the rise of diabetes in cities
around the world, including:[1]

- In Copenhagen, standard medical referral practices acting as
barriers to preventive care and services for diabetes

- In Houston, food traditions becoming entwined with heritage and
culture and often being perceived as providing 'comfort'

- In Mexico City, traditional gender roles limiting effective
self-care in male-only households, as some men are unable or
unwilling to provide diabetes support to others

A second study presented by Cities Changing Diabetes researchers
at EASD 2018 demonstrated that rates of diabetes and obesity are
accelerating in every region of the world today. North America and
Europe, where obesity has been rising for decades, are expected to
have the highest future type 2 diabetes prevalence but also the
slowest future increases.[5] Africa, on the other hand, is projected
to see a near-threefold increase in the number of people living with
diabetes as the population ages and obesity prevalence increases.[5]
Achieving a 25% reduction of obesity prevalence on the continent
would result in 15.3 million fewer people with type 2 diabetes in
2045.[5]

"Whether it's by initiating door-to-door care provision,
relocating clinics within urban communities or through enabling peer
support among religious faith groups, the many partners in the Cities
Changing Diabetes programme are already acting to great effect on
these research findings," said Niels Lund, vice president for Health
Advocacy, Novo Nordisk. "However, halting the rise of diabetes
requires others to learn from their approach and to develop
strategies that reflect local needs. To this end, the Cities Changing
Diabetes programme is an open and inclusive partnership in which
anyone with a stake in the prevention and treatment of diabetes is
welcome to participate."

About the studies

The first study carried out Vulnerability Assessments in five
highly diverse cities - Copenhagen, Houston, Mexico City, Shanghai
and Tianjin - to assess the impact of cultural factors on
vulnerability to type 2 diabetes. This included traditions and
conventions, health beliefs and food practices, gender attitudes, and
local practices to care seeking. Using semi-structured interviews,
assessments were conducted with a total of 740 people.[1]

The second study investigated the regional prevalence of type 2
diabetes from 2017-2045, using past and target trend scenarios. The
past trend scenario assumes that future increase in obesity
prevalence is extrapolated linearly, and in a target scenario obesity
prevalence is reduced by 25% in 2045. BMI data for all countries
worldwide 2000-2014 were obtained from the Non-communicable Disease
Risk Factor Collaboration, and the share of people in each age and
BMI class were projected depending on scenario.[5]

About Cities Changing Diabetes

Cities Changing Diabetes is a first-of-its-kind partnership
programme with an ambitious global goal to reduce obesity by 25% so
that only 1 in 10 people live with diabetes by 2045. More than 100
local partners - including city leaders and ministries, academia,
diabetes associations, health insurers, community groups and business
corporations - collaborate across disciplines and in new forms of
public-private partnerships to map the diabetes problem, share
solutions and drive actions to bend the curve on urban diabetes.

The programme was initiated in 2014 by three global partners:
University College London, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen and Novo
Nordisk. Today, 17 cities representing more than 130 million citizens
are active partners: Beijing, Beirut, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen,
Hangzhou, Houston, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Koriyama, Leicester,
Mérida, Mexico City, Rome, Shanghai, Tianjin, Vancouver and Xiamen.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 95 years of
innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given
us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people
defeat obesity, haemophilia, growth disorders and other serious
chronic diseases. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs
approximately 43,100 people in 79 countries and markets its products
in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit
novonordisk.com, Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/novonordisk),
Twitter (https://www.twitter.com/novonordisk), LinkedIn
(https://www.linkedin.com/company/novo-nordisk), YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/user/novonordisk/custom)

References

1. Volkmann A-M, Hesseldal L, Bagger M, et al. Local traditions and
conventions impact vulnerability to type 2 diabetes. Abstract
presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for
the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Berlin, Germany; 1-5 October 2018.

2. Moses A, Lund N, Jensen BB, et al. Illustrating the pivotal role
of obesity as a driver of diabetes. Abstract presented at the 25th
European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2018), Vienna, Austria; 23-26 May
2018.

3. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 7 ed.
Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation; 2015.

4. Cities Changing Diabetes. Diabetes Projection Model, Global. Data
on file. Novo Nordisk. In: Incentive, ed. Holte, Denmark; 2017.

5. Nielsen S, Napier D, Jensen BB, et al. Regional burden of obesity
and diabetes in adults - projections from 2017-2045. Abstract
presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for
the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Berlin, Germany; 1-5 October 2018.

Further information

Media:

Katrine Sperling, +45-4442-6718, krsp@novonordisk.com

Lykke Lyngsø, +45-3075-0211, lyly@novonordisk.com

Investors:

Peter Hugreffe Ankersen, +45-3075-9085, phak@novonordisk.com

Anders Mikkelsen, +45-3079-4461, armk@novonordisk.com

Valdemar Borum Svarrer, +45-3079-0301, jvls@novonordisk.com

ots Originaltext: Novo Nordisk A/S
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Original-Content von: Novo Nordisk A/S, übermittelt durch news aktuell