TEHRAN – Some 5 million individuals in Iran are on the brink of catching diabetes, Deputy Health Minister Mohammad-Hadi Ayyazi warned on Wednesday.

Ayyazi said these individuals can prevent the disease by changing their lifestyles, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

Currently, some five million Iranians suffer from diabetes, he regretted.

Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, refers to a group of diseases which influence the use of blood sugar (glucose) in the body. Glucose is a source of energy and is vital for health. Suffering from diabetes means having too much glucose in blood which can lead to serious health problems. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

 According to the World Health Organization the number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. The global prevalence of diabetes among adults over 18 years of age has risen from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014. Diabetes prevalence has been rising more rapidly in middle- and low-income countries.

MAH/MQ