Short answers, pulled from the story.
The first known description of diabetes was recorded in 1500 BCE by an Egyptian scribe who noted a condition causing excessive urine output. This historical document marked the earliest medical observation of the disease, which remained a mystery for millennia.
Canadian researchers Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolated and purified insulin in 1921. Their discovery transformed diabetes from a fatal condition into a manageable chronic illness by allowing patients to replace the missing hormone.
The number of people living with diabetes reached 828 million in 2024. This figure represents a surge from 200 million in 1990, making it one of the fastest-growing health crises in human history.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for over 95% of all diabetes cases. This form of the disease is driven by a combination of genetic susceptibility and lifestyle factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, and poor diet.
Cardiovascular disease and stroke are responsible for about 75% of deaths in people with diabetes. These conditions double the risk for individuals with the disease compared to those without it.
Metformin remains the first-line treatment for Type 2 diabetes. It works by decreasing the liver's production of glucose and increasing glucose storage in peripheral tissues.