SCOTLAND IS FACING DIABETES EPIDEMIC

Record number of people diagnosed with condition amid warning over strain on NHS

SCOTLAND faces a ‘diabetes time bomb’ with an average of 44 people being diagnosed with the condition every day.

A record number of people are now suffering the potentially deadly disease as the nation

struggles to shake off its ‘sick man of Europe’ tag.

Health campaigners said that the shocking figures published in the latest Scottish Diabetes Survey should be viewed with alarm.

If diabetes is not controlled by diet and drugs, complications can include eye problems, kidney issues and even cancer, heart attack and stroke, meaning sufferers can put a huge strain on the NHS.

Scottish Conservative public health spokesman Annie Wells said: ‘Obesity is now one of Scotland’s greatest health challenges. Not all new diabetes cases are linked to this but

there’s undoubtedly an impact. We would like to see more focus on education and healthy eating, particularly among young people.

‘These latest figures show Scotland is now facing a diabetes time bomb. If this trend isn’t addressed, people will die far too soon and the strain on the NHS will be immense.’

Diabetes is a serious condition where the blood glucose level is too high. People with type 1 do not produce insulin, a hormone that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. This type of diabetes is not caused by lifestyle factors.

Type 2 diabetes, however, is linked to age and factors such as poor diet, obesity

‘Strain on the NHS will be immense’

and a lack of exercise. It happens when the body cannot make enough insulin, or the cells do not react to it.

The condition can run in families and can be caused by being overweight because excess body fat releases chemicals that upset the metabolic system.

A record high of 300,000 Scots now have diabetes, compared to 228,004 in 2009, the earliest point in the survey. Around 88 per cent of cases are type 2 diabetes, linked to obesity, and 87 per cent of those sufferers are overweight.

Two-thirds of adults in Scotland are classed as overweight or obese.

There were 15,980 new case of diabetes diagnosed last year, including 205 Scots under the age of 30.

Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said: ‘These latest figures are sadly depressing and they will continue to rise until Holyrood gets a grip on tackling obesity.’

Angela Mitchell, national director of Scotland for charity Diabetes UK, said: ‘More people than ever before are living with diabetes in Scotland.

‘There is no way to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes but many cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed if people understand their risk and how to reduce it.

‘Signs of type 2 diabetes are often not obvious, that’s why spotting them early can be life-changing. Early diagnosis means that fewer people will experience diabetes-related complications such as sight loss, amputation, kidney failure, stroke and heart disease because they could seek support to manage their condition effectively as soon as possible.’

Living with diabetes can be challenging, with many patients needing medication such as insulin as well as having to make adjustments to their lives. Patients can overcome type 2 diabetes through weight loss or changing their diet.

A Scottish Government spokesman said it was tackling the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes by investing £42million over five years to give better access to weight management services.

It has also announced plans to introduce a crackdown on junk food promotions such as multi-buys from next year. He added: ‘We recognise the challenges faced on a daily basis by people living with diabetes, including children and young people, and are committed to helping them to live longer, healthier lives.

‘Our diabetes improvement plan sets our aims and priorities to deliver safe and effective person-centred healthcare treatment and support.’