Governments and companies around the world have invested billions of dollars to understand the origins of diabetes and develop better drug treatments. Photo: Shutterstock

What is diabetes and why are so many people suffering from this disease in China?

  • More than quarter of world’s diabetes patients – 114 million – live in the country, but only 39 per cent of sufferers are aware of their condition
  • Disease, caused by high blood sugar levels in the body, leads to deadly health complications such as heart disease and stroke