Diabetes cases double in just twenty years

THE number of diabetes cases in Britain has doubled in just 20 years, making it the fastest growing modern health crisis.

Almost 3.7million people have been diagnosed with the condition, according to Diabetes UK.

Soaring obesity levels are being blamed for a spike in Type 2 diabetes patients, up by 1.9million since 1998.

These cases are generally associated with factors such as poor diet and being sedentary.

The charity warned that another 12.3 million are at risk of developing the disease because of their lifestyle.

One in ten people living in Bradford, West Yorkshire, are now diagnosed with the disease. This is three times higher than the 3.6 per cent in Richmond, West London, and above the national average of 6.6 per cent.

Diabetes UK is calling for stricter rules on junk food advertising to children and supermarket price promotions on unhealthy foods to stem the tide.

Chief executive Chris Askew said: ‘Diabetes is the fastest growing health crisis of our time and the fact that diagnoses have doubled in just 20 years should give all of us serious pause for thought.’

Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are characterised by chronically elevated levels of sugar in the blood and can ultimately lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks and stroke.

The numbers diagnosed have risen by almost 100,000 in the last year alone from 3,590,501 to 3,689,509. But the true total for those living with the disease is estimated to be around 4.6million with many unaware they have it.

Type 1 is an auto-immune disease which occurs if the body stops producing insulin. Type 2 accounts for 90 per cent of cases and is caused by a fatty build-up around the muscle and liver cells but is largely preventable through diet and exercise.

Around nine in ten people who have Type 2 are overweight or obese but doctors say it can be prevented and even reversed with basic changes.

Diabetes costs the NHS almost £9billion a year and one in six hospital beds at any one time are occupied by someone with the condition.

Although both types can be controlled using drugs, it is still seen as a life-shortening condition because of the widespread damage caused by the build-up of sugar in the blood over time.

Previous statistics show Britons with diabetes are 37.5 per cent more likely to die early than their peers. This means more than 20,000 with diabetes die before their time each year.

The country’s obesity problem is the worst in western Europe, with two-thirds of adults and a third of children overweight. A separate report from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity found children in England’s poorest areas were twice as likely to be obese than wealthier neighbours.

It blamed those in deprived inner cities being bombarded with chances to eat high energy, unhealthy food. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was one of the contributors.

Mr Askew said: ‘We want the Government to recognise the seriousness of the growing diabetes crisis, take action to help those at increased risk and help us turn the tables on this devastating condition. With both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes still on the rise, it’s clear there’s a huge amount of work to be done.’

Caroline Cerny, from the Obesity Alliance, said the scale of the diabetes crisis was ‘shocking’.

She added: ‘We urgently need the Government to change our environment from one that promotes unhealthy food and drink and encourages sedentary lifestyles into one that promotes good health.

‘This must include starting early by protecting children from the harmful effects of junk

‘Protect children from harmful advertising’’

food advertising with a 9pm watershed.’

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, national clinical director for diabetes and obesity at NHS England, said the report shines a light on Britain’s obesity problem.

‘It is a public health crisis associated with more heart attacks, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and other avoidable illnesses causing suffering and costing billions every year,’ he said.

‘Diabetes UK highlights the importance of our diabetes prevention programme but while we are doing our bit, this is a battle we cannot win alone.’