Diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are rapidly increasing in the Kingdom at an alarming rate. They are prevalent because of the luxurious and lethargic lifestyle, excessive consumption of sweets and high calorie foods rich in fat, and lack of physical activity. Dr. Ahmad Bin Muhammad Abu Abat from the National Hospital in Riyadh, who helped organize the recent diabetes workshop, announced that the most widespread disease in the country is diabetes. Of the 27,136,977 people living in Saudi Arabia, six million are diabetics, which is almost 25 percent of the population. The healthcare costs for a diabetic with a controlled condition, free of complications is SR 5,000 per year, which amounts to SR 30 billion yearly for all diabetics. As complications arise financial burden also increases. For example, kidney failure frequently occurs in the advanced stages of patients with severe diabetes. The government spends between SR98,000 and SR180,000 each year on a single patient with kidney failure. When asked about the reasons for the rise in diabetes in the Kingdom, Dr. Abu Abat explained that an array of factors play a role, with the key factors being unhealthy diets, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles. He further stated that one in every five people in the Middle East are diabetic. In light of these worrying statistics, all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council States have agreed to adopt serious strategies to prevent and combat non-infectious diseases in the Gulf region. The announcement came at the end of the recent conference in Riyadh where Ministries of Health from each of the Kingdom's neighboring Gulf countries, attended. Professor, Dr. Tawfik Khoja, Director General of the Executive Board of the Health Ministers' Council for the GCC States, announced that each country member will implement strategies for treating and preventing these diseases and launching effective public awareness campaigns to educate the public of the risks posed by these diseases and how they can be prevented. Dr. Khoja added that one third of all citizens and residents over the age of 30 years living in the Gulf countries suffer from obesity, elevated blood triglycerides and cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. The incidence of diabetes in the Gulf region was estimated between 15 percent to 28 percent. These diseases are responsible for 60 percent of all mortality cases in the region. __
