Malta’s Diabetes Problem Is Wreaking Havoc On The Country, And It’s Only Getting Worse

1. Type-2 diabetes is no longer the ailment of the elderly

It was widely thought that type-2 diabetes was a disease found exclusively in elderly persons. But after 457 Maltese persons were confirmed to have been receiving treatment for the disease, one could argue that it is about time one wakes up and smells the coffee.

While genetics do play a role, lifestyle plays a bigger one. So much so, that low-income countries boast the lowest rates of diabetes in the world.

The question now remains – what are young diabetes sufferers doing about it? And what support are they getting other than access to medications? Medications help. But at the core, they do not deal with the root cause.

2. The situation is getting worse as time goes by

In 2019, 31,709 people were diagnosed as diabetics in Malta. Now, three years later, the figure stands at 36,077. Around 7% of the total population. However, 1,776 of them were type-1 diabetics.

Type-1 and type-2 diabetes affect the body in different ways. Whereas type-1 diabetics normally suffer the condition as a result of ‘auto-immunity’, type-2 is often influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise, even though it can also be hereditary.

Out of all the registered diabetics in Malta, 4,203 persons (12%) have had the situation degenerate to a point where they cannot cope without having to take insulin injections.

Lifestyle interventions (such as diet and exercise) have been singled out as the most effective way to sever one’s reliance on medication. Don’t take it from us, take it from a scientific study.

3. Malta’s obesity crisis needs to be addressed

The single greatest risk factor sending us down the path to being diagnosed with diabetes is obesity. Incidentally, Malta is currently suffering a nationwide pandemic of obesity both in adults and children.

If the risk of early death is not enough on its own, the surge of obesity in Malta is costing the country €100 million every year. Simply for being a risk factor for non-communicable diseases, like diabetes.

Respondents of a Lovin Malta survey were very keen to break down why Malta made a name for itself as one of the fattest countries in Europe. The expense of nutrient-rich foods, food addictions that lead to frequent snacking, lack of time to prepare foods, take-away foods, and no motivation to exercise topped the list.

But where do we go from here? What concrete actions are the authorities taking to fight disease?

4. Type-1 diabetics are being given more support

1,1776 people in Malta are currently diagnosed with type-1 diabetes. 152 more than in 2019. Type-1 is far less affected by way of a person’s way of life.

Of the total number, 148 type-1 diabetics are under the age of 16 years. And thankfully, 143 of them have been given continuous glucose monitors, high-end tools to keep a close eye on blood sugars.

A state scheme for type 1 diabetics to have high-end blood sugar monitors has been extended for persons up to 21 years of age last April. This was great news seeing as there are 109 youngsters aged between 17 and 21 years who are entitled to these potentially life-saving monitors.

Can we reverse the damage?

Type-2 diabetes is a debilitating condition that could cut one’s life dramatically short. It affects the better part of the western world, and Malta currently ‘boasts’ the third-highest prevalence in Europe.

The disease has been a part of our world for the better part of the last few generations. Though strangely enough, advice on how to overcome the disease still remains conflicting.

Proper dietary and lifestyle changes, however, are the most effective ways and means to ‘reverse’ the disease.

In January 2022, Lovin Malta sat with Simon Grech, an ex-diabetes sufferer who managed this ‘reversal’ after making some small – but effective – changes in his daily life routine. Changes concerning diet, movement and even fasting have done a world of good to Simon, and they will do the same to anyone ready to make the change.

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