Diabetes affects more than one in ten citizens in Greece

In Greece, diabetes affects more than one in ten citizens. According to 2025 data, approximately 1.23 million people live with Type 2 diabetes (an 11.75% frequency), while roughly 49,000 people are recorded with Type 1 diabetes (a 0.47% frequency).

Thanasis Tziamourtas, a professor at the University of Thessaly, explains that Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Unlike Type 2, it is not caused by obesity, diet, or lack of exercise, and requires lifelong insulin administration via injections or pumps.

Globally, an estimated 9.5 million people live with Type 1 diabetes, including about 1.85 million children and young people under the age of 20. Tziamourtas emphasizes that physical activity is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle for youth with Type 1 diabetes, noting that international guidelines recommend 60 minutes of moderate to intense daily activity to improve cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and insulin sensitivity.