I. Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM), or simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced [1]. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines diabetes as a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism that results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes mellitus is by far the most common metabolic disorder, its prevalence varying widely worldwide and ranging from as low as <1% to >50% [2-7]. Diabetes is associated with reduced life expectancy; the significant morbidity associated with diabetes arises from micro vascular complications, increased risk of macro vascular complications (ischemic heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease), and diminished quality of life [8]. There are three main types of DM. Type 1 DM results from the body's failure to produce insulin. This form was previously referred to as "insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (IDDM) or "juvenile diabetes". Type 2 DM results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly. This form was previously referred to as non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or "adult-onset diabetes". The third main form, gestational diabetes occurs when pregnant women without a previous diagnosis of diabetes develop a high blood glucose level. It may precede development of type 2 DM. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an increasing public health problem worldwide [9]. The global epidemic of people with type II diabetes is largely due to population growth, aging, urbanization, and the scourge of obesity and physical inactivity. The total number of people worldwide with type II diabetes was expected to increase from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030 [10]. According to the international Diabetes Federation (IDF) the prevalence worldwide already reached 366 by 2011 and could well reach 530 million people in 2030 [10]. Diabetes mellitus the most common chronic endocrine disorder affecting an estimated 5% to 10% of the adult population in industrialized Western countries, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America, and it has a large impact on society [10,11,12]. There is an increased concern about the rising tide of type II diabetes and its associated complications in the Arabic-speaking countries (East Mediterranean, Arabic peninsula, and Northern Africa) as these regions have some of the highest rates of diabetes in the world [13]. The prevalence in males was 26.2% and females was 21.5%, and the overall prevalence of Diabetes in adults in KSA is 23.7% in 2004 [14]. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest percentages of Diabetes in the world, with an estimated number of 2,065,300...
