A quarter of Britons at risk from lifestyle

DIABETES is one of the fastest growing health crises of our time, with the condition now affecting four million Britons.

Sedentary lifestyles and over reliance on convenience and junk foods has left a further 12 million at increased risk – a quarter of the UK population.

Fast food and sugar are blamed for rocketing rates but the UK’s dietary habits have not helped.

Official eating guidelines, first published in 1983, say men should consume a maximum of 2,500 calories a day and women 2,000.

The NHS Eatwell Guide says meals should include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, with low or reduced fat cheese and yogurt and preferably unsaturated oils.

But experts say this is wrong as it has replaced a diet of nutritious full-fat whole foods and turned us into a sugar-obsessed nation reliant on medication. Processed foods now make up half the average diet, with most coming from starchy and sugary sources. More than twothirds of men and almost six in 10 women are overweight or obese.

Experts say the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, fish, nuts and non-starchy vegetables, is the key to keeping weight down and protecting heart health.

Consultant cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra said: “Fat has been demonised and led to a huge market in low-fat products, a problem made worse by commercial influence.”

Chris Askew, of Diabetes UK, 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. We want the Government to recognise the seriousness of the growing crisis.”