A report in the Guardian newspaper highlighted that the number of adults and older teens with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled over the past 20 years, with 3.7 million people aged 17 or older now known to be living with the disease
A report in the Guardian newspaper highlighted that the number of adults and older teens with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled over the past 20 years, with 3.7 million people aged 17 or older now known to be living with the disease.
A new analysis, compiled by a diabetes charity appears to show that the number of diagnoses has shot up since 1998, at which point it is estimated 1.8 million over 16s were diagnosed with diabetes.
The analysis does not break down figures into the two main forms of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. But Nikki Joule, policy manager at Diabetes UK, said that other research had shown diagnoses of both have increased, but the rise has been greater for type 2. “[The] rise in obesity has driven that largely over recent years,” she said.
While both types of diabetes are linked to genetics, type 1 diabetes is not associated with weight but is an autoimmune condition where insulin is not produced. It normally begins in childhood and accounts for about 10% of diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes – where there is insulin resistance - is linked to obesity and typically starts later in life, with about 60% of cases thought to be preventable.
Both types bring with them the risk of complications such as blindness, stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and amputations.
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