In his statement to AA correspondent on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, Akarsu said that diabetes has become a growing public health problem in Türkiye, as well as all over the world.
Stating that in the TURDEP-II study conducted in Türkiye in 2010, the prevalence of diabetes in adults was determined as 13.7 percent, Akarsu stated that according to the 2025 data of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 10 million people between the ages of 20-79 are living with diabetes, and this number corresponds to 16-17 percent of the adult population.
Stating that the average prevalence of diabetes in European Union countries is 9.8 percent, Akarsu noted that Türkiye is among the countries with a high diabetes burden on an international scale.
Emphasizing that the prevalence of diabetes is closely related to the change in the lifestyle of the society, Akarsu stated that the traditionally more active life has been replaced by desk work, motorized transportation, ready-made food consumption and a decrease in physical activity.
Stating that Türkiye's traditional cuisine has advantages in terms of healthy foods such as vegetables, legumes, yoghurt, whole grains and olive oil, Akarsu emphasized that the increased consumption of white bread and refined flour products, rice pilaf, pastries, sugary drinks and packaged snacks in recent years has increased metabolic risks.
Stating that long commute times in metropolitan cities, desk work, irregular working hours and lack of safe walking areas make physical activity difficult, Akarsu said that diabetes cannot be explained only by what the individual eats or how much exercise he does, but economic conditions, education level, living environment and working conditions also affect the disease.
"Fighting against diabetes should start in childhood"
Stating that the idea that diabetes is a disease that only occurs in older ages has lost its validity, Akarsu noted that type 2 diabetes, in particular, begins to be seen more frequently in adolescence and young adulthood.
Assoc. Dr. Akarsu emphasized that the increase in childhood obesity poses a significant problem in this respect, and that the increase in time spent in front of the screen, the decrease in physical play areas, the consumption of ready-made food and sugary drinks, and the changes in the lifestyle of families increase the risk of obesity in children.
Pointing out that the total time a person is exposed to hyperglycemia is prolonged in type 2 diabetes that starts at a young age, Akarsu said, "Therefore, the risk of developing kidney, eye, nerve and cardiovascular complications increases. We should no longer see diabetes as a disease that we will encounter only after the age of 50-60. Healthy eating, active life and weight control habits should be acquired starting from childhood. The fight against diabetes should start in childhood." he said.
Explaining that one of the most important features of type 2 diabetes is that it can progress without symptoms for many years, and that in some patients, diabetes is first detected during eye examination, kidney function tests or blood tests performed for another reason, Akarsu said, "According to IDF's 2025 data, approximately 45.5 percent of adults with diabetes in Turkey are not fully aware of their disease. This rate corresponds to approximately 4.37 million people." he said.
Noting that drinking too much water, frequent urination, dry mouth, unexplained weight loss, weakness, fatigue, blurred vision and late healing of wounds are among the symptoms of diabetes, Akarsu emphasized that these complaints should not be expected to appear.
Akarsu stated that especially individuals aged 40 and over, overweight or obese people, those with diabetes in their first-degree relatives, those with hypertension and high blood lipids should be evaluated for diabetes.
"Heart attack, stroke, limb loss are among the serious consequences of diabetes."
Noting that diabetes is not a disease limited only to high blood sugar, but a systemic metabolic disease that can affect almost every organ of the body with long-term high blood sugar, Akarsu stated that complications especially affecting small and large vessels develop in uncontrolled diabetes.
Akarsu said, "The disease can cause loss of vision in the eye, chronic kidney disease and kidney failure in the kidneys, numbness, burning and loss of sensation in the nervous system. In addition, heart attack, stroke, foot wounds, infection and in some cases limb loss are among the serious consequences of diabetes." he said.
Akarsu stated that due to diabetic neuropathy, numbness, burning and tingling may occur, especially in the feet, and patients may not notice the wound or trauma on their feet.
Stating that complications due to diabetes may cause patients to withdraw from working life and lose their independent living skills, Akarsu emphasized that the main goal of treatment is not only to reduce the HbA1c value, but also to preserve heart, kidney, eye, nerve and vascular health for many years.
Lifestyle changes can reduce diabetes risk by 58 percent
Pointing out the importance of healthy nutrition, physical activity and weight control in preventing type 2 diabetes, Akarsu reported that the risk of developing the disease can be reduced by approximately 58 percent with lifestyle changes in high-risk individuals.
In this context, Akarsu stated that it is aimed to lose 7 percent of the initial body weight and do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, and recommended consuming whole grain products, vegetables and legumes, and reducing the consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods.
Stating that there have been significant developments in diabetes treatment in recent years, Akarsu stated that new generation drugs can contribute to the protection of heart and kidney health as well as controlling blood sugar.
Akarsu added that continuous glucose measurement systems and artificial pancreas technologies make blood sugar monitoring easier and can reduce the risk of hypoglycemia by improving blood sugar control, especially in patients with type 1 diabetes.
