217784b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRDapproved/thenational/Articles/Migration/2010-02Health facts117784b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____<p>One in five people in the UAE has diabetes, the second highest rate in the world, according to the World Health Organisation The number of people with diabetes is forecast to rise from 20 to 25 per cent by 2025 The main causes of diabetes in the UAE are lifestyle-related, involving poor diet and lack of exercise, which also leads to particularly high rates of obesity The UAE has one of the world's highest rates of childhood obesity, affecting one in eight children, according to the UN</p> <p>Children as young as seven are being diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes in the UAE, which was previously described as adult-onset diabetes seen in people over 40 Although it is a preventable condition, there are serious health complications once Type-2 diabetes develops, including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, blindness, and nerve-ending damage leading to amputation A researcher at UAE University predicts that treating complications from diabetes could cost in excess of Dh440 million per year</p> <p>* Hala Khalaf</p> YYNATIONAL2010020900000020100209000000100ARhttp://adedit.ad.atl.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100209/NATIONAL/702089847702089847201002091000000009d77f203b2258210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____117784b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____a91384b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRD