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Once considered primarily as a consequence of rich living and access to fast food, the problem of diabetes is an epidemic that is spreading rapidly. More than 300 million people are now living with it across the world. Remarkably doctors are continuing to make strides against it and have become increasingly successful in avoiding the dangers associated with the disease. Dr Lorraine Lipscombe, an endocrinologist from the Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto, wanted to see if the higher mortality rates associated with diabetes had been reduced as a result of the more aggressive approaches to its treatment. The results have just been published in the journal Diabetologica.

E-cigarettes
There are one billion smokers worldwide. For those who continue the habit, 50 per cent will die early from smoking related illnesses. With consumption of tobacco products increasing globally, finding a way to help smokers quit is vital. Electronic cigarettes, which contain nicotine in water vapour, are one new approach. As legislators worldwide start to rule on how to regulate them, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½â€™s Lorna Stewart investigates how safe and effective they really are.

The Cost of Hunger
Today in Africa hunger remains a formidable problem. Around 30 to 50 per cent of deaths in children under the age of five are attributed to under nutrition but, even amongst those who survive, there are lifelong consequences. The African Union Commission together with the UN World Food Programme have recently published early findings from their ‘Cost of Hunger’ study, a different take on the challenge of malnutrition in Africa. It focuses not just on the human cost but also the negative economic impact of failure to address this issue. Dr Janet Byaruhanga is a medical officer working for the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.

(Image: A medical assistant administers insulin. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)