Diabetes Day Highlights Global Prevalence, Disproportionate Toll on Low-Income South Africans and Women

World Diabetes Day held annually on November 14th is a significant global awareness date highlighting the diabetes mellitus pandemic, which chronically receives a low degree of attention in relation to its household impact and mortality rates. A silent killer; according to the World Health Organization about 422 million people worldwide have diabetes – the majority living in low and middle-income countries, with 1.5 million deaths directly attributed to diabetes each year. 

With type 2 diabetes being the most common form, making up 90 percent of cases, approximately one in nine South African adults have it, totalling around 4.2 million individuals. Tens of thousands of South Africans die from diabetes every year, a number which demonstrated a startling increase of 36,5 percent between 2008 and 2018 according to Stats SA. This frames diabetes both as the leading cause of death in the country and the leading cause of death for women specifically.  

The ubiquity of diabetes is an international distress. The Center for Disease Control reports that nearly 12 percent of people in the United States have diabetes alongside an astonishing estimated 40 percent of Americans who have pre-diabetes. An estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in the US in 2022 was USD 412.9 billion, including USD 306.6 billion in direct medical costs and USD 106.3 billion in various indirect costs attributable to diabetes, according to the National Institutes of Health.

In South Africa the annual cost to our health system is ZAR 2.7 billion (USD 150 million) exclusively for patients who have been formally diagnosed and not including undiagnosed cases, especially prevalent in rural and low-income areas. The School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand estimates that if all cases were diagnosed and treated it would cost ZAR 21.8 billion (USD 1.2 billion) a year, rising to ZAR 35 billion (USD 1.9 billion) in total cost by 2030.

The ruinous impact of diabetes as a leading non-communicable disease [NCD] both in South Africa and abroad manifests significant societal and economic impacts, escalating dramatically as the present decade progresses. A new study published in January 2024 by the Physicians Association for Nutrition South Africa showed that plant-based eating can have positive outcomes for diabetes. Participants in their 21-Day ‘Diabetes Reversal Challenge,’ run by the Ubuntu Wellness Institute [UWI], followed a sugar-free, oil-free, plant-based regimen with remarkable results in the management of the disease and a reduction of reliance on medication.

“Increasing the production and consumption of pulses can solve many of our health, ecological, and economic challenges,” says Dr. Nanine Wyma, Executive Director of PAN South Africa. “Our research shows that plant-based nutrition offers a sustainable solution to South Africa’s public health crisis.”

A plant-based diet is a powerful tool for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes, and even putting type 2 diabetes into remission. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine [PCRM] in the United States estimates that dietary factors are responsible for more than 70 percent of new cases of type 2 diabetes. Plant-rich diets have been consistently found to be protective against developing type 2 diabetes. The Adventist Health Study, which looked at nearly 61,000 people, found that the incidence of diabetes was merely 2.9 percent among those consuming a vegan diet. Processed meat, aside from being classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization, is noted by PCRM to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes more than any other type of meat, the consumption of which is estimated to result in one in five new cases of type 2 diabetes. In 2023 their researchers showed that a whole food, plant-based diet can improve insulin resistance in one week. Individuals with type 2 diabetes who were dependent on injecting insulin were enrolled in a crossover trial comparing the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH] diet and a whole food, plant-based diet. The whole food, plant-based diet was more effective than both their starting diets and the DASH diet, resulting in lower insulin doses, improved insulin sensitivity and improved blood sugars. This clearly demonstrates that plant-based diets offer considerable advantages in both the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Most South Africans with diabetes are either diagnosed very late, by which time they are much sicker, or are not diagnosed at all. The SA Demographic Health Survey data from 2016 found that 67 percent of all men and women were pre-diabetic and suggested that a large portion  of South Africans remained undiagnosed. Untreated or badly controlled diabetes can result in amputations, kidney failure and blindness. Many of these same individuals also have high blood pressure and end up with stroke as a result of brain haemorrhage.

A core tenet of ProVeg South Africa is its emphasis on the health benefits of a plant-based diet. The organisation offers a free plant-based solution for newcomers to this nutritional pattern with its Veggie Challenge, guiding participants through 30 days of lifestyle adjustment towards healthier eating and addressing dietary-relevant NCDs such as diabetes mellitus. 

ENDS

Media Contact

ProVeg South Africa – Wikus Engelbrecht – Communications Manager: [email protected]; +27 64 172 0120

About ProVeg South Africa:

ProVeg South Africa is the local branch of ProVeg International. ProVeg is an international food awareness organisation working to transform the global food system by replacing conventional animal-based products with plant-based and cultured alternatives.

ProVeg works with international decision-making bodies, governments, food producers, investors, the media, and the general public to help the world transition to a society and economy that are less dependent on animal agriculture and more sustainable for humans, animals, and the planet.

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PAN South Africa Urges Shift to Plant-Based Diets to Combat Diabetes Epidemic Ahead of World Diabetes Day 2024

With World Diabetes Day on 14 November 2024, the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) South Africa is urging a shift toward plant-based diets to manage—and even reverse—the diabetes epidemic. Aligning with the theme “Diabetes and Well-being,” PAN South Africa believes that prioritising whole food, plant-based nutrition will help reduce diabetes rates and promote sustainable health.

The latest National Food and Nutrition Security Survey (NFNSS) reveals that 63.5% of South Africans face food insecurity. Critical plant-based foods—such as dark green leafy vegetables (39.5%) and pulses/nuts (29.7%)—are significantly under-consumed, despite their low glycemic index and proven benefits in managing diabetes.

South Africa’s non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis, with over 4.2 million adults living with diabetes (11.3% of the population), reflects a dire need for dietary reform. Current eating habits fall short of the national food-based dietary guidelines, which urge nutritionists to “aggressively encourage consumers to consume more legumes.”

A study by PAN South Africa titled “A Plant-Based Dietary Approach to the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in South Africa: Short Communication of a multiple-case study” shows that plant-based nutrition can have positive outcomes for diabetes. Participants in the 21-Day ‘Diabetes Reversal Challenge,’ run by the Ubuntu Wellness Institute (UWI), followed a sugar-free, oil-free, plant-based regimen with remarkable results.

“Increasing the production and consumption of pulses can solve many of our health, ecological, and economic challenges,” says Dr. Nanine Wyma, Executive Director of PAN South Africa. “Our research shows that plant-based nutrition offers a sustainable solution to South Africa’s public health crisis.”

The 21-Day Diabetes Reversal Challenge provides hope for individuals managing diabetes. Pearl Mpange, a participant in the program, shared: “After being diagnosed with diabetes in January 2020, I was devastated and worried about the future. But I was able to reverse my condition and get off all medications after being on the Ubuntu Wellness Diabetes Reversal programme for 21 days.”

Some of these success stories are captured in UWI’s book, “Healing Diabetes and Other Lifestyle Diseases.” Participants reported better blood sugar control, weight loss, reduced medication use, and improved well-being—reinforcing the transformative potential of plant-based diets.

The push for plant-based diets coincides with World Vegan Month in November, underscoring the dual benefits of plant-forward eating for individual health and environmental sustainability. A vegan diet—focused on whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables—helps manage chronic diseases while also contributing to sustainability goals such as Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), and Climate Action (SDG 13.)

PAN South Africa emphasises that individual dietary changes are not enough. A systemic shift is required in food policy, education, and access to healthy foods. Dr. Wyma points out: “Our dietary guidelines show just how much work lies ahead. But the potential for transformation is immense if we scale up the production and consumption of plant-based foods.”

Professor Andrew Robinson, Chairperson of PAN South Africa, adds: “There is a significant gap in medical education, with physicians receiving insufficient training in nutrition—particularly plant-based nutrition. We need to include nutrition in the curriculum of all healthcare professionals to fully support patients in adopting healthier lifestyles.”

As South Africa marks World Diabetes Day 2024, PAN South Africa urges every citizen to take a small but meaningful step by adopting plant-based diets.

“This is an opportunity to reclaim our health and build a sustainable, food-secure future,” says Dr. Wyma. “The time for action is now.”

About PAN South Africa

The Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) South Africa is a national office of the non-profit organisation PAN International. We work with health science students, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to raise awareness of the power of whole-food, plant-based nutrition for health promotion and disease prevention. 

For Media Inquiries, please Contact:

Nosipho Luthuli

Communications Manager

Physicians Association for Nutrition South Africa

Email: [email protected] | Phone: +27 72 579 5222