Diabetes time-bomb warning
Wednesday June 30th, 2010
Nearly a million Britons are living their lives unaware they have developed diabetes, campaigners warned today.
The new analysis suggests the numbers of undiagnosed people is twice previous estimates.
Researchers based in Yorkshire have been attempting to identify the number of people who do not know they have developed type 2 diabetes - which is often caused by unhealthy lifestyles.
The charity Diabetes UK warned the number of diagnosed patients is set to soar in coming years as a programme of health screening gets under way in the NHS for people aged between 40 and 74.
The new figures are based largely on expected increases in the numbers of adults who are overweight and obese.
Analysts at a project called Diabetes Health Intelligence, based at the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory, studied the latest official Health Surveys and concluded that more than three million adults now have diabetes.
This is some 820,000 more than the numbers diagnosed by GPs.
Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said the findings were "truly alarming".
He said: "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.
"We urgently also need to improve diabetes prevention and awareness programmes around the country, coupled with vastly improved support for people to change their behaviours.
"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."
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