High danger of diabetes for 620,000 Scots

Published on Sunday 18 October 2009 21:42

MORE than 600,000 Scots suffer a condition that puts them at high risk of developing diabetes, campaigners warned yesterday.

Diabetes UK said 620,000 people in Scotland had so-called "prediabetes", making them up to 15 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in the future.

People with prediabetes – also known as Impaired Glucose Regulation (IGR) – have blood sugar levels higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes.

Research shows that prediabetes may already be causing long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system.

Diabetes UK said that many people with prediabetes were overweight or obese when they were diagnosed, with 90 per cent having a family history of prediabetes, or have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

But the charity said that prediabetes could often be reversed and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes reduced by 60 per cent if people lost weight, adopted a healthy, balanced diet and increased exercise levels.

Diabetes UK wanted people to sign up to their new Get Serious campaign to fight diabetes, which it said was one of the UK's biggest health challenges.

Those joining the campaign could be by pledging to make healthy lifestyle changes, fundraising, campaigning or volunteering.

Jane-Claire Judson, national director of Diabetes UK Scotland, said: "It's staggering that over 600,000 people in Scotland have prediabetes, which is often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes, a serious condition which can lead to long-term complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation and blindness.

"Identifying and educating people with prediabetes is vital as it's not too late for many to make healthy lifestyle changes, reverse the condition completely and reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes."

Growing numbers of Scots are being diagnosed with diabetes, with 219,463 sufferers – an increase of over 10,000 from 2007. Diabetes UK Scotland wants a commitment from the Scottish Government for diabetes screening programmes to be delivered as part of an extension of its Keep Well programme.

In England, screening for vascular disease conditions such heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease, has been promised as part of a UK Government's commitment.

Diabetes UK also wants better information to be given by those working in the NHS, with the seriousness of the condition highlighted.