Developing type 2 diabetes has a devastating effect on earning power, according to the findings of a global study published today.
Researchers found that men with the problem struggle to stay in work – although women fare better.
The analysis was conducted by researchers at the University of East Anglia Medical School, Norwich, UK.
They analysed more than 100 pieces of research from around the world on the topic.
It found that in health care for people with diabetes can be expensive. The average cost over a lifetime in the USA is 283,000 dollars.
In the UK the disease contributes to an £887 annual loss of income – but carers face a greater loss, of £1,327 a year on average.
Growing rates of disease are linked to the spread of obesity and inactivity.
Researcher Till Seuring said: “Diabetes affects 382 million people worldwide, and that number is expected to grow to 592 million by 2035.
"It is a chronic disease that has spread widely in recent decades – not only in high-income countries, but also in many populous low and middle-income countries such as India and China.
“The rising prevalence of diabetes in these countries has been fuelled by rapid urbanisation, changing eating habits, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles.”
He added: “This research provides a comprehensive picture of the economic impact of diabetes in poorer countries. The results show that people in these countries are the worst off because the economic burden on their livelihoods is much greater.
“Our findings underline the fact that diabetes not only has strong adverse effects on people’s health but also presents a large – and at least partly avoidable – economic burden.
The economic costs of type 2 diabetes: a global systematic review. PharmacoEconomics 17 March 2015 [abstract]
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