Why talk about diabetes in Syria?
Diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure have become leading health challenges in Syria, after decades in which attention focused mainly on infectious diseases. This shift is part of a wider trend across the Arab region, where chronic diseases rise as lifestyle and diet change.
What is different in Syria is that the crisis years added a double burden: a chronic disease that needs regular follow-up and continuous medication, within a health system exhausted by war. So these numbers deserve a pause, not to frighten, but to encourage prevention and follow-up.
What do the numbers say?
The first estimates came from a national risk-factor survey carried out before the crisis, which included thousands of participants from different provinces. Based on it, roughly 10% of adults were estimated to have diabetes at that time.
Modeling studies published in scientific journals projected this share would gradually rise toward a fifth by the 2020s, because of rising weight, less activity, and an aging population. Later international estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of adults are living with diabetes in Syria.
These are estimates based on relatively old data, and conditions have changed a great deal since then, but they are enough to say one thing clearly: diabetes is a widespread problem that deserves early attention.
- A pre-crisis national survey estimated diabetes prevalence at about 10% among adults.
- Scientific models projected the share approaching 20% over the years.
- International estimates point to hundreds of thousands of affected adults.
- The figures are estimates and are affected by the shortage of recent data during the crisis.
How did the crisis years affect people with diabetes?
A person with diabetes needs regular medication, follow-up, and sometimes insulin that must be kept cold. All of this became harder during the war, between medicine shortages, broken cold chains, power cuts, and rising costs.
Add to this repeated displacement that severs the link between a patient and their doctor and loses their medical records, along with damage to many health centers. The result is that controlling diabetes became a daily challenge for many families, and the risk of complications rose for those whose treatment was interrupted.
- Shortages of medicines and insulin, and rising prices.
- Difficulty storing insulin with power cuts and no refrigeration.
- Displacement, lost medical records, and interrupted follow-up.
- Damaged health centers and staff shortages in some areas.
Why is diabetes rising? Risk factors
The rise in type 2 diabetes is tied to lifestyle changes more than anything else. The shift toward foods higher in sugar, fat, and refined starches, less movement, and rising weight all raise the risk gradually.
Some factors are beyond our control, such as family history and age, but many can be influenced. Even in difficult conditions, simple food choices and daily movement remain effective tools within almost everyone's reach.
- A diet higher in sugar, fat, and refined starches.
- Low physical activity and prolonged sitting.
- Excess weight and obesity, especially around the belly.
- Chronic stress, poor sleep, and smoking.
- A family history of diabetes, and older age.
Prevention and control despite hard conditions
Prevention does not need expensive foods or gyms. Legumes, seasonal vegetables, and whole grains are nutritious and often within reach, and cutting sugar and sweetened drinks is a free and effective step.
Regular walking, taking medication when available, monitoring sugar when possible, and caring for the feet all reduce the risk of complications. Most importantly, a patient should not stop their medication on their own, but consult a doctor or pharmacist if there is any difficulty obtaining it.
- Cut sugar, sweetened drinks, and refined starches.
- Eat more vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
- Walk regularly, even short distances daily.
- Stick to medication and do not stop it without advice, and ask about alternatives when it is scarce.
- Care for and check your feet, and watch any wound that does not heal.
When to see a doctor, and a message of hope
See a doctor if symptoms appear such as intense thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, or blurred vision, or if you have a family history and extra weight even without symptoms. Early testing with a simple test can spare you many complications.
Despite the hard conditions, diabetes is a disease you can live with and control. Small, steady steps make a real difference over time. Remember that this article is for general awareness only and does not replace consulting your doctor, who knows your case.
In conditions where medical records are interrupted and clinics change, the Sihtak app helps you keep your health in one place, in your own hands. Scan your HbA1c and fasting glucose tests with the lab scanner to save them and follow their trend wherever you move, ask the AI assistant what your result means in simple words, set reminders for your diabetes medications so you never miss a dose, and keep track of affected family members in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Are the diabetes prevalence figures for Syria accurate?
They are estimates based on surveys and studies, some from before the crisis, and their accuracy has been affected by conditions. But they agree that diabetes is widespread and deserves prevention and early testing.
How do I control diabetes if medication is sometimes unavailable?
Do not stop your medication on your own, and consult a doctor or pharmacist about available alternatives. In all cases, managing diet and movement and monitoring sugar remain important tools that help with control.
Can type 2 diabetes be prevented?
Many cases can be delayed or prevented with lifestyle changes, such as cutting sugar, moving more, and managing weight, especially for those with risk factors or a family history.
When should I get tested for diabetes?
Consult your doctor, but testing is generally advised when symptoms appear, or with a family history and extra weight or high blood pressure. The doctor decides the need for testing and how often.
Sources
This content is for health education only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have symptoms that worry you, see your doctor.