Although the WHO endorses the implementation of sugar taxes as the right medicine, the governments need to do a lot more to win the war against diabetes.
By Deepika Khurana
Southeast Asia (SEA) accounts for about 20 per cent of the global diabetes burden. According to the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) Diabetes Atlas, nearly 82 million people lived with diabetes in the SEA region in 2017 and the figure is estimated to increase to 156 million by 2045.
Among the reported cases, approximately 90 per cent are afflicted with type-2 diabetes, a condition that is preventable. But what’s adding to the burden is the fact that about half of these cases go undiagnosed. While countries like Singapore have initiated national strategies to combat the diabetes epidemic, others like Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia are still contemplating ways to tackle the challenge.
Singapore: Leading the way
Singapore has one of the highest rates of gestational diabetes in the world. With a population of about 4,50,000 grappling with the condition, the country declared war on diabetes in 2016 with its focused approach on prevention and spreading awareness by encouraging public information campaigns.
Besides government initiatives, several non-profit groups, such as Diabetes Singapore, have come forward to join the fight against the rising epidemic. Well-equipped buses are parked outside medical clinics to conduct diabetes screening every day and to operate support groups for the management of diabetes.
And now, to further reduce Singaporeans’ intake of sugar – which is about 12 teaspoons daily, according to the Ministry of Health – the country is keen to impose a sugar tax soon.
Malaysia: Mammoth struggle
The most sedentary and fattest nation in SEA, Malaysia is estimated to have more than three million cases of diabetes. The country spends about 16 per cent of its healthcare budget on treating diabetes.
To curb the dual epidemic of obesity and diabetes, the Malaysian government has decided to impose a sugar tax on beverages and sweeteners. The tax is also expected to be implemented on high-sugar fruit and vegetable juices. As part of a wider effort, Malaysia is also considering shutting down all eateries by midnight and banning advertisements for high-sugar and high-fat foods.
Thailand: Work in progress
Diabetes is a growing public health challenge in Thailand, with over 4,00,000 diabetes cases registered in 2017, as per IDF data. The same year, the Government of Thailand introduced a sugar tax to deter its citizens’ sugar intake (which was about 26 teaspoons of sugar per day).
Recently, there has also been a growing emphasis on developing sustainable strategies to promote balanced diets and active lifestyles.
Indonesia: Living with limited resources
More than 17 million people in Indonesia – almost seven per cent of the population – are struggling to cope with diabetes. Only half the government-owned primary care facilities can perform blood glucose tests and the availability of certified diabetes educators is limited.
IDF reports that only 47 per cent of patients with diabetes in the country get a diagnosis. In other words, millions of Indonesians living with the condition are undiagnosed and/or untreated. Sadly, the numbers are only expected to increase as there is no major national diabetes prevention strategy yet to combat the epidemic.
Paths for prevention
There is now substantial evidence that type-2 diabetes can be easily prevented or delayed through early detection and making healthy lifestyle choices. However, experts are of the view that diet and exercise-related decisions people make are often constrained by their environment, information and resources available.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) endorses the implementation of sugar taxes as the right medicine, the governments need to do a lot more to tackle the global diabetes challenge.
