Diabetes in the UK is at an all-time high as charity says more than 5 million Brits are living with the condition | UK News

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People who are overweight or obese tend to be more likely to develop diabetes, the NHS says, as do people of Asian, Black African or Afro-Caribbean descent – with diabetes in the UK estimated to affect 850,000 people in the UK. They could be infected with the disease without knowing it.

Thursday, April 13, 2023 01:49, United Kingdom

The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has reached five million for the first time ever, a health charity said.

According to Diabetes UK, the country is in a “rapidly escalating diabetes crisis”, adding that more needs to be done to prevent people from developing the condition.

Diabetes UK is urging the government to make the condition ‘central’ in its strategy for upcoming major conditions, in a bid to prevent new cases and support people at high risk.

Figures show 4.3 million people have diabetes, and the charity estimates that another 850,000 people live with it, but don’t know it.

About 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with being overweight or being lethargic.

People of Asian, Black African, or Afro-Caribbean descent can be at higher risk, as can those with high blood pressure.

The charity also believes more than 2.4 million people are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which causes blood sugar levels to rise, with concerns about the number of people who are overweight or obese in the UK.

Diabetes UK adds that the condition is becoming increasingly more common in those under 40, and more prevalent in socially disadvantaged areas.

Read more: Diabetics get NHS artificial pancreas that injects insulin via a body tracker.

According to the NHS, you could have diabetes if you urinate more frequently than usual, experience fatigue, feel more thirsty than usual, or lose weight rapidly.

If left unchecked, it may develop further side effects, such as vision loss, amputations, strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure.

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Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes is a serious matter, and every diagnosis is life-altering.

“It is an unrelenting condition, and the fear of serious complications is a lifelong reality for millions of people across the UK.

“These latest figures show that we are in the grip of a rapidly escalating diabetes crisis, with increasing numbers of people now living with type 2 diabetes and millions at high risk of developing the condition.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right care and support, cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or reversed.

“What we need to see is the will, grit and determination from government and local health leaders to stop this crisis in its tracks and improve the future health of our nation for generations to come.”

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