Diabetics’ belt hope

A HI-TECH device no bigger than a wallet could transform the lives of type 1 diabetes patients, research suggests.

Worn on a belt, the “artificial pancreas” was found to improve blood sugar control by 17 per cent. The gadget, trialled on 40 patients by Cambridge University, monitors blood sugar levels via a sensor beneath their tummy – then automatically pumps in the correct amount of insulin.

The device was also shown to work for children as young as six – a crucial finding for a condition which often strikes in childhood.