By the year 2010 there could be 239 million diabetics in the world.

The World Health Organisation further estimates that by the year 2000 there could be 175 million. In 1994 there were about 104 million people suffering from the disease.

The Bermuda Diabetes Epidemiology Project's Director Dr. Meng Tan -- who has studied the disease for two decades -- said the magnitude of this epidemic is highlighted by the fact that for every person who knows they have diabetes there may be one who does not know.

In 1992, the United States spent $92 billion studying and treating the disease -- one of every seven dollars from its health care budget.

And now developing countries were experiencing an increase in diabetes which Dr. Tan said may be due to their increased affluence.

In Bermuda there were between 100 and 200 people diagnosed with the disease every year. Studies suggested up to one in seven Bermudians could have diabetes, but many did not know.

Figures show that over a five-year period in Bermuda diabetes was the leading cause of blindness and it was the third leading cause of death. And based on hospital admission figures diabetics accounted for 35 percent of heart attack victims.

During the same period 42 percent of people who received kidney dialysis and 46 percent of people who had amputations performed suffered from diabetes as well.

Dr. Tan stressed that early diagnosis could help prevent many of the disease's serious side effects which included blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, circulatory difficulties and loss of sensation which could lead to amputations.

Dr. Tan said he hoped that Bermudians invited to participate in the study -- which was launched on Wednesday night -- would respond because only random sample findings could be related to the general population.

The Bank of Bermuda yesterday donated $10,000 to the campaign.

FIRST STOP -- Bermuda Diabetic Association president Mr. George Smith (middle) accepts from Governor Lord Waddington and Lady Waddington the first donation to the Association's plan to make a comprehensive survey of diabetes in Bermuda. The association's tag day will be held today in Hamilton and tomorrow throughout the Island.

Dr. Meng Tan