Diabetes is a widely prevalent disease allover the world where its prevalence reached about 5% in the total world population. This percentage is increasing greatly in some of the countries especially those that had an urbanization leap such as the Cooperative Council States in the Gulf, where these countries have witnessed great development and flourishment in all fields.
This is due to the changes that took place in the life style and patterns of living which led to the appearance and the increased rates of chronic diseases including diabetes. Diabetes is closely related with the risk factors of obesity, physical inactivity and increased consumption of high calories as well as to the genetic factors which play an important role.

A preliminary report issued by the Ministry of Health, Kuwait titled “Surveillance of Risk Factors of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases) showed that the percentage is 16.7%.
On the other hand, Gulf Family Health Survey, in 1996, showed that the prevalence rate of diabetes in Kuwait is 9.2% in the population above 15 years of age. Sequential epidemiologic studies proved this steady increase allover years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where it increased from 2.2% in mid seventies to 4.9% 10 years after, to reach 12.3 % in mid nineties and reached 24% in 2004.