Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, Director of PAHO: Step up, beat diabetes. World Health Day 2016

Good Day. I am Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization. On this World Health Day, I want to call your attention to a disease that is affecting the lives and well-being of more than 60 million people in the Americas. This disease is diabetes. It affects people of all walks of life, but it takes its greatest toll on people living in vulnerable situations, those with limited resources, limited access to health care and limited opportunities for healthy living.

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form, is increasing faster than ever before, and affecting younger people. This is mostly due to changing lifestyles. People in our region are consuming more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and sugar sweetened beverages, while being less physically active. If policies to prevent type 2 diabetes and interventions to improve diabetes control are not implemented, diabetes will affect over 100 million people in the Americas by 2040.

Type 2 diabetes can largely be prevented through healthy diets based on whole, fresh foods; regular physical activity; and maintaining a healthy body weight. But it is not just a matter of people changing their lifestyles. Governments have a key role, through public policies to make the healthy choice the easier choice. Good examples include bans on advertising of ultra-processed foods to children; front-of-package labels for easy identification of unhealthy foods; more vegetables and fruits in school meals; increased taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages; and ensuring safe recreational spaces to encourage physical activity.

For people who live with diabetes, continuous access to quality health care, including medication, is critical because uncontrolled diabetes leads to serious complications and even premature death. That is why we are working closely with our Member States to advance towards universal health access and coverage, to serve the needs of all populations affected by diabetes and other health conditions.

Today, on World Health Day, I urge you to join with us and do your part to “Step Up… and Beat Diabetes!”