Consequently, diabetes is rapidly emerging as a global health care problem that threatens to reach pandemic levels by 2030; the number of people with diabetes worldwide is projected to increase from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million by 2030 (see mapMillions of Cases of Diabetes in 2000 and Projections for 2030, with Projected Percent Changes.).3 This increase will be most noticeable in developing countries, where the number of people with diabetes is expected to increase from 84 million to 228 million.1 According to the WHO, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region are at the forefront of the current diabetes epidemic, with India and China facing the greatest challenges. In these countries, the incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes among children are also increasing at an alarming rate, with potentially devastating consequences.
