Diabetes is already a global epidemic, with one in 12 adults suffering from the condition. Experts have also warned that the current number of diabetics is expected to rise by 55 percent in the next two decades unless people start to change how they eat and exercise.

The chronic illness is particularly a concern in fast-developing countries. In India and China, for instance, nearly 10 percent of adults have diabetes, which is higher than the global average of 8.3 percent. And while 10 percent of all the sufferers have Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that often already exists since childhood, majority of the cases are of the lifestyle-driven Type 2 diabetes.

Now, a study conducted by researchers from the University of East Anglia has revealed the economic impact of Type 2 diabetes worldwide, with the results showing that the condition means a large financial burden not just among sufferers in high-income countries but among those from low- and middle-income countries, where sufferers and their families are faced with high treatment costs. The condition is also associated with a significant decline in a person's earning power.

For the study, Till Seuring, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, and colleagues looked at the data of 109 studies to find out the economic impact of diabetes globally. Their findings revealed that the United States is the most expensive place to have the condition as diabetics in the U.S. have the highest health care costs, estimated at about $283,000 for a lifetime, which is higher compared with other countries having comparable per capita income levels.

"Employment chances for women with diabetes in the U.S. are decreased by almost half," Seuring said. "Women with diabetes also lose out on $21,392 in earnings per year - the highest loss due to diabetes worldwide."

Direct treatment costs for the disease differ widely among countries. Sufferers based in Mexico pay, on average, about 50 percent of the cost of treatment. In India, the median direct costs are about $1,500 per person per year, albeit those in urban areas tend to spend more partly because of the availability of care in the cities. In Pakistan, diabetics spend about 18 percent of their income for treating the disease.

"In high-income countries the burden often affects government or public health insurance budgets while in poorer countries a large part of the burden falls on the person with diabetes and their family due to very limited health insurance coverage," Seuring said.

Photo: Oskar Annermarken | Flickr