Health authorities in the department also point out that cases of diabetes have been increasing during the last five years, so it is considered one of the most frequent chronic diseases in the region.
And while in 2010 the prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 5.7%, last year the figure was 6.5%.
Silvia Plata Vanegas, OSPS scientific coordinator, said that "the figures are worrying especially taking into account that the prevalence of diabetes is approximately twice as frequent in women than in men."
He also stressed that this disease occurs more in the population between 45 and 64 years.
For his part, Patricio López-Jaramillo, director of research at Foscal, said that “it is expected that by 2025 in Latin America we will have 25 million diabetics and, of these, at least 8 million can be Colombians ...
The problem is very serious and is associated with accelerated changes in the productive model that forced urbanization, sedentary lifestyle and changes in eating habits. ”