Abstract
According to the World Health Organization rankings, Saudi Arabia stands second among the Middle East countries, and seventh globally, for the prevalence of diabetes mellitus. An estimated seven million of the population are diabetic, with a further three million being prediabetic. Of even greater concern perhaps is the alarming increase in diabetes in Saudi Arabia in recent years. In fact, diabetes has increased by tenfold during the past three decades in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the management of diabetes faces many challenges in Saudi Arabia, including the rising prevalence (principally among children and young adults), micro- and macrovascular complications, lifestyle alterations, delayed diagnosis, low degree of awareness, and expensive treatment costs. There has been a huge acceleration (more than 500%) in the expenses incurred for healthcare and treatment of diabetes during the last two decades. The healthcare budget of Saudi Arabia in 2014 was 180 billion (Saudi Riyal), of which roughly 25 billion used exclusively for the management of diabetes. Therefore, a comprehensive program/multidisciplinary approach on a national level is urgently required before the treatment of diabetes mellitus becomes an even greater burden on the health of the population and also the health budget. In this chapter we discuss the significant and chief threats due to diabetes mellitus in the Saudi population and propose solutions to delay/prevent this further increase in diabetes in Saudi Arabia.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abuyassin B, Laher I (2016) Diabetes epidemic sweeping the Arab world. World J Diabetes 7(8):165–174
Ahmed I, Alateeq FA, Alharbi SH, Ahmed HG (2018) Awareness and knowledge towards type 2 diabetes mellitus risk factors in Northern Saudi Arabia. Int J Med Res Health Sci 7(5):33–40
Al Dawish MA, Robert AA, Braham R, Al Hayek AA, Al Saeed A, Ahmed RA et al (2016) Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: a review of the recent literature. Curr Diabetes Rev 12(4):359–368
Al Hayek AA, Robert AA, Al Dawish MA, Zamzami MM, Sam AE, Alzaid AA (2013) Impact of an education program on patient anxiety, depression, glycemic control, and adherence to self-care and medication in Type 2 diabetes. J Fam Community Med 20(2):77–82
Al Johani KA, Kendall GE, Snider PD (2015) Self-management practices among type 2 diabetes patients attending primary health-care centres in Medina, Saudi Arabia. East Mediterr Health J 21(9):621–628
Al Zarea BK (2016) Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Diabetic Retinopathy amongst the Diabetic Patients of AlJouf and Hail Province of Saudi Arabia. J Clin Diagn Res 10(5):Nc05–Nc08
ALAboudi IS, Hassali MA, Shafie AA, Saleem F (2016) Self-efficacy, self-care behaviours and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. J Public Health 24(4):281–290
Al-Aboudi IS, Hassali MA, Shafie AA (2016) Knowledge, attitudes, and quality of life of type 2 diabetes patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. J Pharm Bioallied Sci 8(3):195–202
Alanazi AM, Abo El-Fetoh NM, Alotaibi HK, Alanazi KA, Alotaibi BK, Alshammari SM et al (2017) Survey of awareness of diabetes mellitus among the Arar population, Northern Border Region of Saudi Arabia. Electron Physician 9(9):5369–5374
Alberti G, Zimmet P, Shaw J, Bloomgarden Z, Kaufman F, Silink M (2004) Type 2 diabetes in the young: the evolving epidemic: the international diabetes federation consensus workshop. Diabetes Care 27(7):1798–1811
Al-Daghri NM, Al-Attas OS, Alokail MS, Alkharfy KM, Yousef M, Sabico SL et al (2011) Diabetes mellitus type 2 and other chronic non-communicable diseases in the central region, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh cohort 2): a decade of an epidemic. BMC Med 9:76
Al-Herbish AS, El-Mouzan MI, Al-Salloum AA, Al-Qurachi MM, Al-Omar AA (2008) Prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabian children and adolescents. Saudi Med J 29(9):1285–1288
Alhowaish AK (2013) Economic costs of diabetes in Saudi Arabia. J Fam Community Med 20(1):1–7
Aljoudi AS, Taha AZ (2009) Knowledge of diabetes risk factors and preventive measures among attendees of a primary care center in eastern Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med 29(1):15–19
Al-Lawati JA (2017) Diabetes Mellitus: a Local and Global Public Health Emergency! Oman Med J 32(3):177–179
Al-Nozha MM, Al-Maatouq MA, Al-Mazrou YY, Al-Harthi SS, Arafah MR, Khalil MZ et al (2004) Diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J 25(11):1603–1610
Alnuaim A (2014) Rising prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia: cause for concern and call for urgent control program. Ann Saudi Med 34(6):463–464
Alotaibi M, Alibrahim L, Alharbi N (2016) Challenges associated with treating children with diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 120:235–240
Alotaibi A, Perry L, Gholizadeh L, Al-Ganmi A (2017) Incidence and prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia: an overview. J Epidemiol Glob Health 7(4):211–218
Alqurashi KA, Aljabri KS, Bokhari SA (2011) Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a Saudi community. Ann Saudi Med 31(1):19–23
Al-Rubeaan K (2015) National surveillance for type 1, type 2 diabetes and prediabetes among children and adolescents: a population-based study (SAUDI-DM). J Epidemiol Community Health 69(11):1045–1051
Al-Rubeaan K, Al-Manaa H, Khoja T, Ahmad N, Al-Sharqawi A, Siddiqui K et al (2014) The Saudi Abnormal Glucose Metabolism and Diabetes Impact Study (SAUDI-DM). Ann Saudi Med 34(6):465–475
Al-Rubeaan K, Al-Manaa HA, Khoja TA, Ahmad NA, Al-Sharqawi AH, Siddiqui K et al (2015a) Epidemiology of abnormal glucose metabolism in a country facing its epidemic: SAUDI-DM study. J Diabetes 7(5):622–632
Al-Rubeaan K, Abu El-Asrar AM, Youssef AM, Subhani SN, Ahmad NA, Al-Sharqawi AH et al (2015b) Diabetic retinopathy and its risk factors in a society with a type 2 diabetes epidemic: a Saudi National Diabetes Registry-based study. Acta Ophthalmol 93(2):e140–e147
Al-Rubeaan KA, Al-Manaa HA, Khoja TA, Al-Sharqawi AH, Aburisheh KH, Youssef AM et al (2015c) Health care services provided to type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J 36(10):1216–1225
Amanda M, Nigel U (2004) Diabetes action now: WHO and IDF working together to raise awareness worldwide. IDF, Diabetes Voice 49(2)
American Diabetes Association (2009) Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 32(Suppl 1):S62–S67
American Diabetes Association (2015) Initial evaluation and diabetes management planning. Sec. 3. In Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2015. Diabetes Care 38(Suppl. 1):S17–S19
American Diabetes Association (2017) Standards of medical care in diabetes-2017. Diabetes Care 40(Suppl. 1):S6–S10
Bahijri SM, Jambi HA, Al Raddadi RM, Ferns G, Tuomilehto J (2016) The prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in the adult population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – a Community-Based Survey. PloS One 11(4):e0152559
Batais MA, Schantter P (2016) Prevalence of unwillingness to use insulin therapy and its associated attitudes amongst patients with Type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Prim Care Diabetes 10(6):415–424
Bellou V, Belbasis L, Tzoulaki I, Evangelou E (2018) Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus: an exposure-wide umbrella review of meta-analyses. PloS One 13(3):e0194127
Braham R, Alzaid A, Robert AA, Mujammami M, Ahmad RA, Zitouni M et al (2016) Double diabetes in Saudi Arabia: a new entity or an underestimated condition. World J Diabetes 7(20):621–626
Charfen MA, Ipp E, Kaji AH, Saleh T, Qazi MF, Lewis RJ (2009) Detection of undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetic states in high-risk emergency department patients. Acad Emerg Med Off J Soc Acad Emerg Med 16(5):394–402
Cherian MP, Al-Kanani KA, Al Qahtani SS, Yesurathinam H, Mathew AA, Thomas VS et al (2010) The rising incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus and the role of environmental factors – three decade experience in a primary care health center in Saudi Arabia. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 23(7):685–695
Colberg SR, Sigal RJ, Fernhall B, Regensteiner JG, Blissmer BJ, Rubin RR et al (2010) Exercise and type 2 diabetes: the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement. Diabetes Care 33(12):e147–e167
Diabetes the hidden pandemic and its impact on the Middle East and Northern Africa. Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) Diabetes Leadership Forum, Dubai, 12–13 December 2010
Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (2015) Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet (London, England) 386(9995):743–800
Hussain A, Claussen B, Ramachandran A, Williams R (2007) Prevention of type 2 diabetes: a review. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 76(3):317–326
International Diabetes Federation. Global diabetes plan 2011–2012. https://www.idf.org/sites/default/files/Global_Diabetes_Plan_Final.pdf
International Diabetes Federation (2012) Diabetes Atlas, 5th edn. IDF, Brussels. http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas
International Diabetes Federation (2017) 8th. International Diabetes Federation, Brussels. http://www.diabetesatlas.org
International Diabetes Federation. Global diabetes plan 2011–2021
International Diabetes Federation (IDF) (2015) Diabetes Atlas, 7th edn. IDF, Brussels
International Diabetic Federation. One adult in ten will have diabetes by 2030. Press release, Brussels, 14 Nov 2011. http://www.idf.org/mediaevents/pressreleases/2011/diabetes-atlas-5thedition. [DA: 30th Jan 2012
Jaacks LM, Siegel KR, Gujral UP, Narayan KM (2016) Type 2 diabetes: a 21st century epidemic. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 30(3):331–343
Jamal A, Khan SA, AlHumud A, Al-Duhyyim A, Alrashed M, Bin Shabr F et al (2015) Association of online health information-seeking behavior and self-care activities among Type 2 diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia. J Med Internet Res 17(8):e196
Jokela M, Elovainio M, Nyberg ST, Tabak AG, Hintsa T, Batty GD et al (2014) Personality and risk of diabetes in adults: pooled analysis of 5 cohort studies. Health Psychol 33(12):1618–1621
Laditka SB, Laditka JN (2015) Active life expectancy of Americans with diabetes: risks of heart disease, obesity, and inactivity. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 107(1):37–45
Memish ZA, El Bcheraoui C, Tuffaha M, Robinson M, Daoud F, Jaber S et al (2014) Obesity and associated factors – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013. Prev Chronic Dis 11:E174
Meo SA (2016) Prevalence and future prediction of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a systematic review of published studies. J Pak Med Assoc 66(6):722–725
Mohieldein AH, Alzohairy MA, Hasan M (2011) Awareness of diabetes mellitus among Saudi non-diabetic population in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. J Diabetes Endocrinol 2(2):14–19
Mokdad AH, Tuffaha M, Hanlon M, El Bcheraoui C, Daoud F et al (2015) Cost of Diabetes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2014. J Diabetes Metab 6:575. https://doi.org/10.4172/2155-6156.1000575
Naeem Z (2015) Burden of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia. Int J Health Sci 9(3):V–VI
Patterson C, Guariguata L, Dahlquist G, Soltesz G, Ogle G, Silink M (2014) Diabetes in the young – a global view and worldwide estimates of numbers of children with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 103(2):161–175
Pozzilli P, Buzzetti R (2007) A new expression of diabetes: double diabetes. Trends Endocrinol Metab 18(2):52–57
Robert AA, Al Dawish MA (2019) The Worrying Trend of Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: An Urgent Call to Action. Curr Diabetes Rev 15
Robert AA, Al Dawish MA, Braham R, Musallam MA, Al Hayek AA, Al Kahtany NH (2016) Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia: major challenges and possible solutions. Curr Diabetes Rev 26:26
Saad AMJ, Younes ZMH, Ahmed H, Brown JA, Al Owesie RM, Hassoun AAK (2018) Self-efficacy, self-care and glycemic control in Saudi Arabian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional survey. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 137:28–36
Sabbah KOA, Al-Shehri AA. Practice and perception of self -management among diabetics in Taif, KSA: impact of demographic factors
Samuels TA, Cohen D, Brancati FL, Coresh J, Kao WH (2006) Delayed diagnosis of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in the ARIC study. Am J Manag Care 12(12):717–724
Sherif S, Sumpio BE (2015) Economic development and diabetes prevalence in MENA countries: Egypt and Saudi Arabia comparison. World J Diabetes 6(2):304–311
Skyler JS, Ricordi C (2011) Stopping type 1 diabetes: attempts to prevent or cure type 1 diabetes in man. Diabetes 60(1):1–8
Swinburn B (2002) Sustaining dietary changes for preventing obesity and diabetes: lessons learned from the successes of other epidemic control programs. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 11(Suppl 3):S598–S606
The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group (1993) The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 329(14):977–986
The Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia (2017). https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/Ministry/MediaCenter/News/Pages/news-2017-07-28-001.aspx
Uddin I, Ahmad TJ, Kurkuman AR, Iftikhar R (2001) Diabetes education: its effects on glycemic control. Ann Saudi Med 21(1–2):120–122
West JD, Goldberg KL (2002) Diabetes self-care knowledge among outpatients at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Am J Health Syst Pharm 59(9):849–852
Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H (2004) Global prevalence of diabetes: estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. Diabetes Care 27(5):1047–1053
World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Western Pacific (2005) Type 2 diabetes: practical targets and treatments. 4th ed. Melbourne: International Diabetes Institute (IDI); Singapore: In Vivo Communications (Asia) Pte Limited
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Al Dawish, M.A., Robert, A.A. (2021). Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia. In: Laher, I. (eds) Handbook of Healthcare in the Arab World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36811-1_45
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36811-1_45
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-36810-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-36811-1
eBook Packages: Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences