Greeks Have Increased Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes, Study Shows

A combination of being overweight, not engaging in enough physical activity and an unbalanced diet is the culprit for the growing number of Greeks who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to a recent study conducted by the National School of Public Health’s Department of Health Economics and the Federation of Cooperative Pharmacists of Greece.
The study was conducted across the country and involved 13,634 citizens undergoing a blood sugar test and completing a survey while visiting their pharmacy.
The report released by the National School of Public Health’s Department of Health Economics and the Federation of Cooperative Pharmacists of Greece shows that 2 out of 10 Greeks have a high to very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Specifically, of those surveyed, 58.9 percent of Greek women and 79 percent of men were overweight, while only 61.3 percent of the participants said that they engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes daily. Furthermore, the report revealed that only 61.6 percent of those surveyed take part in eating a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
These numbers are staggering considering that 46.8 percent of those who participated in the survey said that they had a relative in their family who already suffered from diabetes, and 12.6 percent of them had been diagnosed with high blood sugar levels in previous blood tests.
Type 2 diabetes is on the rise everywhere, with approximately 371 million people worldwide suffering from the disease, which, if not treated, can be fatal. Moreover, 187 million of those who are diabetic don’t realize it, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). In Greece, factors associated with type 2 diabetes are old age, obesity and inactivity, exposure to smoke, and having a lower socioeconomic status.