10.02.14
Over 3.2 million diagnosed with diabetes
Last year there were 163,000 new diagnoses of diabetes in the UK, a diabetes charity has calculated. This represents the biggest annual increase since 2008 and means there are now over 3.4 million people diagnosed with the disease.
Diabetes UK combined GP data to calculate the overall figure for the UK. Another estimated 850,000 people could be living with diabetes undiagnosed.
The rise is largely due to more type 2 cases, which is linked with obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. The NHS currently spends 10% of its budget on diabetes, 80% of which is on the consequences of the disease, such as kidney failure, heart disease and stroke.
Baroness Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “The big increase in the number of people with diabetes confirms that we are in the middle of an unfolding public health disaster that demands urgent action.
“It is frightening to think that one in 17 people you walk past in the street has been diagnosed with the condition.”
Prof Jonathan Valabhji, national clinical director for obesity and diabetes at NHS England, said: “Prevention has to be a crucial part of our approach and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is significantly reduced with a healthy lifestyle.”
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