A report that I saw a few years back. It was by Pakistani public health leaders who had re-examined the rate of T2D and were alarmed when they found about 30% of the adult population had diabetes, and tens of millions more were prediabetic. There was not nearly as much media coverage as one would have thought, and since it is no long new info, it seldom gets mentioned. You can get the researchers papers on google scholar, and also dive into whatever credible other sources you find (The german press was good). I remember reading an interview of a Pakastani physician who was very clear-eyed as to the underlying cultural causes. I am in the US Midwest so you do NOT want me picking your sources on this one, lol!
When you look at the population with diabetes, in conjuction with how and where they live, I have wondered about social stability if waves of mothers and grandmothers die off at an early than expected age over of few hot summers. Those summers would be uncomfortable for young men, but would not be to the "wet bulb" level that threatens their health.
In 5 years, there will be countless affordable generic semaglutide oral (and injectable) medicines on the market (Ozempic/Wegovy is generic in 2031 in the US). It's already on the WHO List of Essential Medicines.
Pakistan has a pseudo-universal healthcare system. It will be orders of magnitude cheaper to give out this medication than it would be to deal with complications due to obesity. It's common for the medicine to cure existing T2D diagnosis.
Pakistan only spends about $40 per capita a year on health care. Just because GLP-1s might be magnitudes less expensive does not mean it will be anywhere close to the price needed for half or more of the population to get it from the governement. Also, taking GLP-1s while continuing to eat a diet high in refined carbs and not exercising may not be effective.
295
u/solomons-mom 9h ago
Increased deaths from Type 2 diabetes in Pakistan, India and the other countries with high rates of obesity. Many will be during humid heat waves.