About one in seven Lankan adults living with diabetes

About one in seven Sri Lankan adults is living with diabetes, with nearly 40% of those affected unaware that they have the condition, a leading medical specialist has warned.

The figures were highlighted as Sri Lanka joined the international community in marking World Diabetes Day on Saturday (14).

Dr. Manilka Sumanatilleke, President of the Diabetes Association of Sri Lanka and Consultant Endocrinologist at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, said diabetes had become an increasingly serious public health concern.

Speaking at an event, he said the situation was particularly concerning in Colombo, where approximately one in four people was affected by diabetes.

He also warned that rising childhood obesity could lead to an increase in Type 2 diabetes among young people, stressing the importance of healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes.

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), an estimated 1.6 million Sri Lankan adults aged 20 to 79 were living with diabetes in 2024.

Of them, around 603,000, or 37.7%, were estimated to be undiagnosed.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels.

If poorly controlled, diabetes can cause serious complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, vision loss, nerve damage and lower-limb amputations.