The coalition's national diabetes strategy on the verge of collapse?
22.01.2020 12:21
The number of diabetes cases in Germany has been rising steadily for years. Forecasts for 2040 are 12 million people affected. In order to counteract this in terms of health policy, a national diabetes strategy was adopted in the 2018 coalition agreement, which, according to current information, is in danger of failing. The reason is therefore the resistance of politicians on the Nutrition Committee to a passage in the draft on nutrition issues, which primarily serves to protect children. The German Diabetes Society (DDG) and diabetesDE - Deutsche Diabetes-Hilfe consider the failure of the diabetes strategy to be irresponsible. The coalition is thereby risking the health of future generations.
Over half a million Germans develop diabetes mellitus every year. In addition to the personal suffering, the treatment costs for this widespread disease are also considerable: patient care, including the accompanying and secondary diseases of diabetes, costs the state over 21 billion annually. “It has been known for years that the prevention, early detection, research and care of the widespread disease diabetes must be addressed politically consistently and no longer tolerates any delay,” explains DDG President Professor Dr. med. Monika Kellerer.
Last year, the coalition largely agreed on the key points of a national diabetes strategy to combat increasing numbers of the disease. To date, seemingly insurmountable resistance comes from the Committee on Nutrition, which is sparked by the target formulations in the nutrition section of the paper and is now endangering the entire project. Essentially, it's about measures for mandatory sugar reduction in foods and a ban on advertising sugary foods to children. “It has been scientifically proven that these measures work because, on the one hand, they have an impact on purchasing behavior and, on the other hand, they encourage manufacturers to make their recipes healthier. We consider these aspects to be essential in the implementation of a national diabetes strategy,” explains Barbara Bitzer, Managing Director of the DDG. “It is undisputed that unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for the development of diabetes. It is therefore imperative to make it easier for all citizens to choose a healthy diet.”
“The coalition must now demonstrate loyalty to the contract and finally implement the plan jointly agreed upon in the coalition agreement. It is irresponsible that the apparently one-sided interests of the food industry are more important than urgently needed structural changes in diabetes care and prevention, and that this threatens to overturn the entire project," criticizes Dr. med. Jens Kröger, CEO of diabetesDE – German Diabetes Aid. If the National Diabetes Strategy fails, the government will lose its credibility and fail to fulfill its social responsibility. In a recent survey by the German Diabetes Aid, 86 percent of people with type 2 diabetes said that they did not feel adequately represented by politics, according to the Hamburg diabetologist.
The professional associations strongly appeal to the responsible politicians to further advance the national diabetes strategy and urge that preventative measures be taken into account. For years, diabetes associations have been calling for an overall political concept for more diabetes prevention and better medical care.2 “Other EU countries are far ahead of us and already have a diabetes strategy or action plan,” emphasizes Bitzer. It is a disgrace for the most populous European country with a major diabetes problem not to be able to do this.
Information:
1Emond JA et al.: Influence of child-targeted fast food TV advertising exposure on fast food intake: A longitudinal study of preschool-age children. Appetites. 2019 Sep 1;140:134-141
Study: Advertising doubles fast food consumption among children: https://www.deutsche-diabetes-gesellschaft.de/presse/ddg-pressemeldungen/meldungen-detailansicht/article/studie-werbung-verdoppelt-fast-food-konsum-bei-kindern.html
2Key demands from DDG, diabetesDE German Diabetes Aid and VDBD for a national diabetes strategy: https://www.deutsche-diabetes-gesellschaft.de/fileadmin/Redakteur/Stellungnahmen/2019/Politische_Forderungen_der_DDG_diaDE-VDBD_Nationale_Diabetesstrategie_2019_final.pdf