Brazil’s Diabetes Crisis Comes Into Focus on World Diabetes Day

Overview

• WHO estimates about 16.8 million Brazilians live with diabetes—roughly 1 in 13 people—with 111,000 deaths attributed to the disease in 2024.
• Chronic hyperglycemia damages vessels and organs long before symptoms, doubling to quadrupling the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Fluctuating or “roller‑coaster” vision can signal diabetic retinopathy, and timely fundoscopy is emphasized to detect retinal damage and protect sight.
• GLP‑1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors improve metabolic control and cut major cardiovascular events, though long‑term protection is still under study and public‑system access is limited.
• Type 2 cases predominate, driven by obesity and sedentary lifestyles, while patient stories show that with insulin, monitoring and support, people with type 1 can sustain active, independent lives.