UK in rapidly escalating diabetes crisis as cases top 5 million, report says | Diabetes

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The UK is experiencing a rapidly worsening diabetes crisis, with cases topping five million for the first time and under-40s increasingly affected, a report has found.

About 90% of diabetic patients have type 2 diabetes, a disease that is much more likely to develop if people are overweight. About two-thirds of adults in the UK are overweight or obese.

A report released Thursday by Diabetes UK reveals an all-time high for type 2 and type 1 combined of 4.3 million officially diagnosed cases and another 850,000 people living with either condition but yet to be diagnosed . A further 2.4 million people are at high risk of developing the type 2 form in the UK.

These latest figures show that the diabetes crisis is rapidly intensifying, with growing numbers of people with type 2 diabetes and millions at high risk of developing the disease, said Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK.

The stark figures mean millions of Britons are at increased risk of complications including heart attacks, kidney failure, strokes, amputation and blindness.

As a result, the UK faces a public health emergency unless action is taken, Askew said. Diabetes is serious and every diagnosis is life changing. It’s a relentless condition, and the fear of serious complications is a lifelong reality for millions of people across the UK.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the proper care and support, cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or put into remission. What we need to see is the will, courage and determination of government and local health officials to stop this crisis in its tracks and improve the future health of our nation for generations to come.

The report specifically raises concerns about the high number of people who are overweight or obese in the UK, and says this directly translates to an increase in cases of type 2 diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes is seven times higher higher in obese people than in those of a healthy weight, and three times higher in overweight people.

The report also expresses concern about the growing number of young people developing type 2. Alarmingly, the condition is becoming more common among those under 40, it says. While the number of people under 40 with type 2 diabetes remains a small proportion of the total number of cases, it is known to have more serious and acute effects on younger people.

The number of people under 40 in the UK being diagnosed with type 2 is now increasing at a faster rate than among those over 40. The latter still make up the vast majority of cases, but the number of people under 40 with the disease has climbed to 150,000, representing a faster rate of growth.

The demand for care for children with type 2 in pediatric diabetes units in England and Wales has also increased by more than 50% over the past five years.

Diabetes UK also said the disease was becoming more prevalent in areas with higher levels of deprivation.

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He said the risk factors for type 2 were multiple and complex and included age, family history and ethnicity, as well as being overweight or obese.

The charity has called on the government to put diabetes at the heart of its next major disease strategy to prevent cases and support those at high risk.

Zoe Davies, spokesperson for campaign groups Action on Sugar and Action on Salt, said: These latest findings unfortunately come as no great surprise given that the government has turned its back on many key policies designed to improve health. public, especially children. health.

They have delayed plans to ban pre-watershed TV advertising for junk food, for example, in favor of multinational food companies that make huge profits selling unhealthy products and have no vested interest in the health of nations.

Now, more than ever, the UK population needs fair access to healthy and affordable food and this can only be achieved with policies designed to rebalance our food system.

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