JEDDAH, 6 December 2006 — As many as 12,192 divorce cases take place in the Kingdom annually as a result of diabetes, according to Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Tuwaim, head of the department of pediatric endocrinology at King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Jeddah and chairman of the World Diabetes Day Committee.

“One of the negative effects of diabetes is that it increases the number of divorce cases in the Kingdom as it affects sexual relations among couples,” he said. About 20 percent of the Saudi population has been affected by the disease, he pointed out.

Tuwaim said more than 80 percent of diabetic patients suffer from obesity. He estimated the total number of diabetics in the world at 190 million. The figure is expected to exceed 230 million by 2025. About 80 percent of the patients are in Third World countries.

Gulf countries account for the largest number of diabetes cases in the world. The disease affects 24 percent of UAE population and 14.8 percent of Bahrainis. He put the rate of diabetes cases in the Kingdom at 20 percent considering the country’s growing population.

Saudi Arabia spends about SR4 billion annually on treatment of diabetic patients. In a recent statement, Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie said that the number of diabetic patients in the Kingdom over the age of 30 had soared by 24 percent.

“Chronic diseases such as diabetes and blood pressure, obesity and psychosomatic illnesses are having an adverse impact on the health of Saudis, besides affecting them economically and socially,” the minister said while addressing a diabetes awareness program.

According to a recent study, the majority of people suffering from diabetes in the Kingdom are women, especially those living in cities. A considerable number of children have also fallen victim to the disease. Some 2,000 cases have been reported in children in Riyadh alone.

Referring to the growing incidence of diabetes among Saudi children, Al-Manie said it was due to hereditary factors, in addition to unhealthy lifestyles, overeating and lack of awareness among families. As much as 52 percent of the Kingdom’s population is obese, making them vulnerable to diabetes.

Khaled Al-Mirghalani, general supervisor of media and health awareness and spokesman for the Health Ministry, said 20 new diabetes centers would be established in different parts of the Kingdom.

“We are now in the process of inviting tenders to implement these health projects,” he said.