El-Kebbi IM, Bidikian NH, Hneiny L, Nasrallah MP. Epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa: Challenges and call for action. World J Diabetes 2021; 12(9): 1401-1425 [PMID: 34630897 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v12.i9.1401]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Mona Philippe Nasrallah, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 11072020, Lebanon. mn36@aub.edu.lb
Research Domain of This Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Diabetes. Sep 15, 2021; 12(9): 1401-1425 Published online Sep 15, 2021. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v12.i9.1401
Epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa: Challenges and call for action
Imad M El-Kebbi, Nayda H Bidikian, Layal Hneiny, Mona Philippe Nasrallah
Imad M El-Kebbi, Mona Philippe Nasrallah, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut 11072020, Lebanon
Imad M El-Kebbi, Department of Internal Medicine, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abou Dhabi 11001, United Arab Emirates
Nayda H Bidikian, School of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut 11072020, Lebanon
Layal Hneiny, University Libraries, Saab Medical Library, American University of Beirut, Beirut 11072020, Lebanon
Author contributions: El-Kebbi IM conceptualized the outline, wrote major section of the manuscript, generated some of the tables and figures, and provided final review and edits of the manuscript; Bidikian NH contributed to the literature search, wrote a large portion of the manuscript, and generated some of the tables and graphs; Hneiny L performed the literature search, and wrote one small section of the manuscript; Nasrallah MP accepted the editor invitation, conceptualized the paper, wrote one section of the manuscript, generated one table, and proofread and edited the whole manuscript; all authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no relationships/conditions/circumstances that present a potential conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mona Philippe Nasrallah, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 11072020, Lebanon. mn36@aub.edu.lb
Received: January 29, 2021 Peer-review started: January 29, 2021 First decision: June 5, 2021 Revised: June 21, 2021 Accepted: August 2, 2021 Article in press: August 2, 2021 Published online: September 15, 2021
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes continues to be a serious and highly prevalent public health problem worldwide. In 2019, the highest prevalence of diabetes in the world at 12.2%, with its associated morbidity and mortality, was found in the Middle East and North Africa region. In addition to a genetic predisposition in its population, evidence suggests that obesity, physical inactivity, urbanization, and poor nutritional habits have contributed to the high prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in the region. These risk factors have also led to an earlier onset of type 2 diabetes among children and adolescents, negatively affecting the productive years of the youth and their quality of life. Furthermore, efforts to control the rising prevalence of diabetes and its complications have been challenged and complicated by the political instability and armed conflict in some countries of the region and the recent coronavirus disease 2019. Broad strategies, coupled with targeted interventions at the regional, national, and community levels are needed to address and curb the spread of this public health crisis.
Core Tip: The Middle East and North Africa region has the world’s highest diabetes prevalence, the second highest rate of rise, the highest adjusted mortality from noncommunicable disease, and the highest diabetes-related disability adjusted life years. This review provides an up-to-date review of the diabetes status in this dynamic region of the world and touches on new elements that affect diabetes such as the high number of refugees and the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This review identifies gaps and weaknesses in type 2 diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa region and highlights areas where planning and action are highly needed.
