Silence over diabetes threatens thousands

Published on Sunday 12 June 2011 14:34

Almost a million people could be damaging their health by keeping their diabetes a secret, a charity has warned.

A survey for Diabetes UK suggests around one in three with the condition keep their illness quiet.

Many of those miss insulin injections or delay testing blood glucose levels to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

This puts them at higher risk of deadly complications, including coma, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputation.

Reasons include fear that revealing diabetes may affect employment prospects and worrying that others think the condition is always the result of an unhealthy diet.

Baroness Barbara Young, chief executive at Diabetes UK, said: "It is hugely concerning that the health and well-being of so many people could be at risk as a result of discrimination or prejudice.

"We believe all people should receive support to help them manage their diabetes and that's why services such as our Diabetes UK Careline are so vital."

Some 2.8 million people in the UK have diabetes and an estimated 850,000 may also suffer.