Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq ranked sixth among Arab countries in diabetes prevalence, with about two million people affected, according to 2025 data published by World Population Review.

Egypt led the region with an estimated 10.9 million cases, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4.3 million and Sudan with 3.5 million.

Morocco came fourth with around 2.3 million, while Algeria placed fifth with more than two million. Iraq followed in sixth with a similar figure.

Syria reported about 1.5 million cases, placing it seventh. The United Arab Emirates recorded nearly one million, followed by Jordan with 866,000, and Kuwait with roughly 803,000, rounding out the top ten.

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar, caused either by insufficient insulin production or the body’s reduced ability to use insulin effectively. If unmanaged, it can lead to serious complications affecting the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. Its spread is often linked to poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity, and limited access to early diagnosis and care.

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