UK faces diabetes ‘crisis’, says top GP

THE UK is in the midst of a diabetes “crisis” and the prevalence of fried chicken shops is not helping, a leading GP has suggested.

About four million British people are living with a form of diabetes, twice the number from the early 1990s, a UCL report said. That represents seven per cent of the population, while a further half a million are estimated to be living with undiagnosed diabetes, researchers said.

Sir Sam Everington, who leads a south London general practice, said obesity, diet and lifestyle factors played a role in the rise, especially in more disadvantaged areas. “Every Tube stop you go out from (the City) towards east London, you lose a year of your life,” he said.

Sir Sam highlighted the borough of Tower Hamlets, saying life expectancy and quality of life were significantly lower than central London.

But he said it was dangerous to denigrate people for being overweight as if it were a moral choice, because risk factors can be hard to avoid.

The GP said there was “nothing wrong with the occasional chicken and chips” but it was problematic if such meals were the norm.

“If people are eating that, they’re not having as much fruit and vegetables.”

Sir Sam said cutting down on meat was beneficial, hailing the release of the new vegan sausage roll by bakery chain Greggs as progress. “Which actually they can’t produce enough of. They’re in trouble because they’ve launched it and they can’t meet demand,” he said.

London pharmacist Imran Khan said pharmacists could help to ease the pressure on GPs who are seeing a “tsunami” of diabetes patients.

He said they could help with performing tests and providing treatment.