Two in 10 Greeks face high diabetes risk, study shows

Two in 10 Greeks have a high or very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study on the disease in Greece conducted by the National School of Public Health’s Department of Health Economics and the Federation of Cooperative Pharmacists of Greece.

The study surveyed 13,634 citizens who visited pharmacies around the country. It entailed filling in a questionnaire and undergoing a blood sugar level test.

The results showed that 58.9 percent of Greek women and 79 percent of men are overweight. Moreover, 61.3 percent of those who participated in the study said they engaged in at least 30 minutes of physical activity on a daily basis, while 61.6 percent said they consumed fruits and vegetables every day. Nearly half (46.8 percent) said they had a relative with diabetes and 12.6 percent had high blood sugar levels diagnosed in previous tests.

The reports said 19.4 percent of participants were at high or very high risk of developing diabetes.