Diabetes is one of the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the newest data of the IDF´s DIABETES ATLAS there are almost 32 million diabetes cases (in the adult population between 20 and 79 years of age) in the European Union of which almost 50% are undiagnosed. Another 37 million EU citizens have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) a form of pre-diabetes. Diabetes and diabetes related conditions can impose severe health risks. In 2012 almost 272 000 people died EU wide from diabetes related causes. Diabetes is also of economic importance, since throughout the EU the diabetes related expenditures amounted in 2012 to more than 82 Billion Euros (Calculated from IDF estimates on expenditures per person with diabetes and number of diabetes cases for every EU country which amounted to 118.2 Billion Dollars).
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