A recent study presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy, has revealed that Mauritius has become the first country in the world to demonstrate a sustained reversal of its type 2 diabetes epidemic. The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, found that diabetes prevalence in the country has dropped significantly after decades of climbing. The achievement offers vital hope to countries worldwide battling the heavy human and economic costs of type 2 diabetes.
Unlike most nations, Mauritius tracked its disease burden using the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended gold-standard two-hour oral glucose tolerance test (2-hour OGTT). The OGTT requires fasting for eight to 10 hours before an initial blood sample is taken, followed by consumption of a sweet liquid containing a specific amount of glucose. Subsequent blood samples are taken one and two hours later. This rigorous tracking method was used in seven cross-sectional surveys conducted since 1987.
The surveys, initiated by Professor Paul Zimmet of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, were conducted by Ministry of Health and Wellness staff. The data tracked the shifting prevalence of type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia (prediabetes) across seven survey years. In 1987, the overall prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 14.7%, increasing to 17.3% in 1992, 20.2% in 1998, and 23.3% in 2009. However, by 2021, the prevalence had decreased to 19.9%.
The study found that between 1987 and 2009, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes increased by 61% in men and 56% in women. However, between 2009 and 2021, the prevalence decreased by 11% in men and 16% in women. The researchers attribute the success to impactful initiatives geared toward preventing and managing type 2 diabetes, including prevention measures, NCD risk-factor screening, community engagement, and free public-sector health services.
The Mauritian government implemented a national integrated NCD action plan, establishing a roadmap for lifelong health and well-being. A national service framework set clinical standards of care and quality protocols, paired with free public-sector health services and essential medicines. These multisectoral strategies contributed to the significant decrease in type 2 diabetes prevalence.
The study's authors, including Jaakko Tuomilehto of the University of Helsinki, state that Mauritius is the first country to show a sustained decrease in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, based on long-term data using the WHO-recommended gold-standard oral glucose tolerance test. They added that it is encouraging to learn that the continuous increase in type 2 diabetes occurring in almost all countries around the world could be halted and even reversed.
The reversal of the type 2 diabetes epidemic in Mauritius offers hope for other countries battling the disease. The study's findings suggest that with effective prevention and management strategies, it is possible to tackle chronic non-communicable disease epidemics. The Mauritian experience provides a valuable example for other countries to follow in their efforts to combat type 2 diabetes and other NCDs.
Key points
- Mauritius is the first country to demonstrate a sustained reversal of its type 2 diabetes epidemic.
- The country's success is attributed to impactful initiatives, including prevention measures, NCD risk-factor screening, and free public-sector health services.
- The study's findings offer hope for other countries battling the disease, suggesting that with effective strategies, it is possible to halt and even reverse the increase in type 2 diabetes.
