Diabetes hits more Britons

Published on Tuesday 29 June 2010 17:23

GROWING levels of obesity and unhealthy lifestyles have resulted over a million people in Britain suffering from undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes - twice as many as previously thought.

Estimates from 2006 suggested about 500,000 Britons had Type 2 diabetes but did not know it.

But new figures from the Diabetes Health Intelligence indicate this figure is likely to be 1.1 million.

This could push the number of sufferers of Type 2 and Type 1, which is not linked to unhealthy living, to 5.5 million by 2030, the charity said.

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "Avoidable in so many cases, the Type 2 diabetes epidemic is a clear example of where the new government's rhetoric of tackling health problems through prevention must be turned into action.

"Failure to act now means a bleak future of spiralling NHS costs and worsening public health."

He described the latest set of figures as "truly alarming".

He added: "Whilst screening of at risk groups has started, notably through the NHS Health Checks programme, it is clear there needs to be greater emphasis on successful delivery throughout the country."

As well as being overweight, being over 40 (or over 25 in Black and South Asian communities) or having a close relative with diabetes is linked to Type 2.