The 2019 Gambia National Eye Health Survey reveals the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), multimorbidity, and related risks in adults in The Gambia.
Overall, the data shows a higher prevalence of NCDs in The Gambia in women compared to men. The prevalence of hypertension was 47.0%, affecting 49.3% of women and 44.7% of men. This prevalence increased with age, rising from 30% in those aged 35–45 years to over 75% in those aged 75 years and older.
Obesity increased the odds of hypertension, and underweight reduced the odds.
The prevalence of diabetes was 6.3%, affecting 7.0% of women and 5.6% of men. The prevalence of obesity was 12.0% and was notably higher in women (20.2%) than in men (3.9%).
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, according to the WHO.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose. Hyperglycaemia, also called raised blood glucose or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and, over time, leads to serious damage to many of the body’s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
Worldwide prevalence
In 2022, 14% of adults aged 18 years and older were living with diabetes, an increase from 7% in 1990. More than half (59%) of adults aged 30 years and over living with diabetes were not taking medication for their diabetes in 2022. Diabetes treatment coverage was lowest in low- and middle-income countries.
In 2021, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.6 million deaths, and 47% of all deaths due to diabetes occurred before the age of 70 years. Another 530,000 kidney disease deaths were caused by diabetes, and high blood glucose caused around 11% of cardiovascular deaths.
Since 2000, mortality rates from diabetes have been increasing. By contrast, the probability of dying from any one of the four main noncommunicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, or diabetes) between the ages of 30 and 70 decreased by 20% globally between 2000 and 2019.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Symptoms of diabetes may occur suddenly. In type 2 diabetes, the symptoms can be mild and may take many years to be noticed.
Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Feeling very thirsty
- Needing to urinate more often than usual
- Blurred vision
- Feeling tired
- Losing weight unintentionally
Over time, diabetes can damage blood vessels in the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. People with diabetes have a higher risk of health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
Diabetes can cause permanent vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eyes. Many people with diabetes develop problems with their feet from nerve damage and poor blood flow. This can cause foot ulcers and may lead to amputation.
What are the types of diabetes?
There are several types of diabetes. However, the most common forms include:
- Type 1 diabetes (T1D): Symptoms of T1D can develop quickly, over a few weeks or months. You may develop additional symptoms that are signs of a severe complication called diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is life-threatening and requires immediate medical treatment.DKA symptoms include vomiting, stomach pains, fruity-smelling breath, and labored breathing, according to Cleaveland Clinic.
- Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes: You may not have any symptoms at all, or you may not notice them since they develop slowly. Routine bloodwork may show a high blood sugar level before you recognize symptoms. Another possible sign of prediabetes is darkened skin on certain parts of your body (acanthosis nigricans).
- Gestational diabetes: You typically won’t notice symptoms of gestational diabetes. Your healthcare provider will test you for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
How can I prevent diabetes?
You can’t prevent autoimmune and genetic forms of diabetes. But there are some steps you can take to lower your risk for developing prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes, including:
- Eat a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean Diet which emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats.
- Get physically active. Aim for 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.
- Work to achieve a weight that’s healthy for you.
- Manage your stress.
- Limit alcohol intake.
- Get adequate sleep (typically 7 to 9 hours) and seek treatment for sleep disorders.
- Quit smoking.
- Take medications as directed by your healthcare provider to manage existing risk factors for heart disease.
It’s important to note that there are some diabetes risk factors you can’t change, such as your genetics/family history, age, and race. Know that Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition that involves many contributing factors.
In 2021, the prevalence of diabetes in adults in The Gambia was estimated to be 1.6%, with a total of 18,100 adults living with the condition, According to the International Diabetes Federation. This means that for every 100 adults, about 1 or 2 had diabetes.
A study published in The Lancet Global Health found a higher prevalence of 6.3% among adults in The Gambia, with women having a higher rate (7.0%) than men (5.6%).
