UK Diabetes Rates Up 130,000 In A Year

Thu, 27 Oct 2011

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has soared to nearly three million, according to leading health charity Diabetes UK.

New figures from the group have revealed that diabetes rates have risen by nearly 130,000 to more than 2.9 million in the past year, with type 2 diabetes accounting for the majority of cases.

There are now 50 per cent more Britons with diabetes than in 2005, when GP data on the metabolic disease was first published.

In addition, Diabetes UK estimates there are a further 850,000 people who have diabetes but are aware of their condition as it has not yet been diagnosed.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "The rate of increase of diabetes is growing with huge human cost and cost to the NHS."

"The time for action is now. Whilst rates of other serious conditions including many cancers, heart disease and stroke are steady or declining, the epidemic of diabetes continues to grow at even faster rates.

"Simple things can make a huge impact. The vascular screening NHS Health Checks is critical in detecting early signs of Type 2 diabetes. Losing 10 per cent of your weight reduces your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by 50 per cent."

She added: "We must reverse this trend if more people are not going to suffer unnecessarily and if diabetes is not going to bankrupt the NHS."

"Around 10 per cent of NHS spending goes on diabetes and its complications; this equates to £9 billion per year or £1 million an hour."

Diabetes UK is trying to increase awareness among Britons of lesser-known risk factors associated with the condition. These include having a large waist, irrespective of weight, family history of diabetes, being aged over 40, or being from a black, Asian, or other minority ethnic community.

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