Story maps
故事地圖

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the fastest-growing non-communicable diseases in the Asia-Pacific, which is closely linked with lifestyle-related risk factors. This story map illustrates how two key behavioural risk factors — obesity (body mass index of at least 30 kg/m²) and insufficient physical activity (activity level below 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination per week) — relate to age-standardised prevalence of DM in adults across 28 countries in the Asia-Pacific (graduated yellow circles), in 2022. The bivariate map reveals distinct regional patterns. Pacific island nations, including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu, appear in pink-to-purple shades, indicating high obesity combined with low to moderate levels of insufficient physical activity. Australia and New Zealand show a similar pattern. In contrast, several South and East Asian countries, including Pakistan, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines, appear in teal-to-blue tones, indicating comparatively high insufficient physical activity but low to moderate obesity levels. Together, these contrasting patterns show that obesity and insufficient physical activity do not necessarily increase together across Asia-Pacific.

It's noted that DM prevalence and the 2 risk factors do not always follow the same pattern. Bangladesh, for example, shows relatively low levels of both risk factors but fall within a moderate DM-prevalence category (17.9%). Australia provides a different pattern: despite relatively high obesity and moderate insufficient physical activity, it has a comparatively modest level of DM. The contrast suggests that population-level DM prevalence cannot be explained by these two risk factors alone. Other factors including genetic susceptibility, dietary patterns, population ageing, and access to screening and diagnosis play a role.

The map highlights the need for tailored DM prevention strategies that address each country’s specific risk profile rather than applying a single universal approach.

Data for map were from WHO Global Health Observatory.

糖尿病是亞太地區增長最快的非傳染性疾病之一，並與生活方式相關的風險因素密切相關。本故事地圖探討兩項主要行為風險因素 — 肥胖（身體質量指數（BMI）達到或超過 30 kg/m2） 與身體活動不足 （每週少於150分鐘中等強度體能 活動、75分鐘高強度體能活動，或兩者的等量組合）—如何與2022年亞太地區28個國家成年人的年齡標準化糖尿病患病率（漸變大小的黃色圓點）相關。雙變量地圖呈現出明顯的區域模式。包括巴布亞新幾內亞、斐濟及瓦努阿圖在內的太平洋島國呈現粉紅至紫色調，代表肥胖率偏高，並伴隨低至中等程度的身體活動不足。澳洲和新西蘭亦呈現相似模式。相比之下，巴基斯坦、印度、日本、韓國及菲律賓等部分南亞與東亞國家呈現青綠至藍色調，顯示身體活動不足比例相對較高，但肥胖率處於低至中等水平。這些對比模式顯示，在亞太地區，肥胖與身體活動不足未必會同步上升。

糖尿病患病率並不一定與雙變量地圖上肥胖和身體活動不足呈現模式的相同。例如孟加拉的兩項風險因素均相對偏低，但糖尿病患病率卻屬於中等類別（17.9%）。澳洲則呈現另一種模式：儘管肥胖率相對較高、身體活動不足程度屬中等。這種差異顯示人口層面的糖尿病患病率不能僅由這兩項風險因素解釋。其他因素，包括遺傳易感性、飲食模式、人口老化，以及篩查和診斷服務的可及性也有一定角色。

此地圖突顯糖尿病防治策略應應對各國的特定風險狀況，而非採取單一的標準化方案。

地圖資料源自世界衛生組織全球衛生觀察站