Abdelnaser Zalan1, Ahmad Sheikh-Muhammad, Mohammad Khatib, and Rajech Sharkia

Unit of Human Biology and Genetics, The Triangle Regional Research and Development Center; The Galilee Society The Arab National Society for Research and Health Services; Beit Berl Academic College, Beit Berl 44905, IL

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered one of the main causes of mortality, morbidity, and health care expenditures. Effectively treating this disease is of crucial importance and imposes a global challenge. The incidence of Type 2 DM (T2DM) is rapidly rising in both developing and developed countries. The Arab community in Israel is a distinct ethnic group with unique characteristics. Recently, this community has undergone major changes in its lifestyle, adopting the Westernized one, which could have caused an increase in the T2DM incidence rate.

Objective: This review aims to shed light on various studies undertaken to explore the prevalence
of diabetes and determine its current status in the Arab society of Israel, resting on previous and current data. It is presented to highlight the status of diabetes globally and to focus on its current situation in the Arab society of Israel, attempting to forecast its direction in the upcoming decade.

Methods: Data were obtained from our previous comprehensive socio-economic and health cross-
sectional surveys for successive periods from 2004 to 2017. These surveys were conducted on the Arab society of Israel by the Galilee Society.

Results: Our results showed a progressive increase in the prevalence of T2DM from 3.4% to 7.6%
in the Arab society of Israel. This trend is expected to continue rising in the coming decade, and
based on our predictions, may exceed 12% in 2030.

Conclusion: Substantial and practical health-related actions must be initiated to prevent an increasing number of adults from developing diabetes and its complications.