Abstract:
A century ago diabetes was virtually unknown in Africa. Currently 10 million people are living with this disease in Africa and the number is predicted to double by 2025. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 85 to 95% of all cases in the region. The main factors responsible for the rapid increase in the prevalence of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa are an aging population, unhealthy diet, overweight and obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle, closely related to rapid urbanisation of the population in the region.
