Diabetes rate ‘double that of 1980′

Rates of diabetes have exploded in the past three decades, meaning an estimated 350 million people in the world now have the disease.

In almost every region of the planet diabetes prevalence has risen or at best remained unchanged, according to a major international study published in a special online report by The Lancet medical journal.

The condition, caused by poor blood sugar control, can lead to heart disease and stroke and can damage the kidneys, nerves and eyes. Each year, high blood sugar levels and diabetes kill three million people worldwide.