| UK diabetes growth 'doubles in a year' | Posted on 20/10/2008 in Industry related health news The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has risen by more than 167,000 since last year, a leading charity claims.
In a new study published today, Diabetes UK states that the total number of people suffering from diabetes has risen to almost 2.5 million and last year's rise was double the 2006 to 2007 increase of 83,000.
Around 90 per cent of people in the UK with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is strongly linked to lifestyle factors such as being overweight and eating an unhealthy diet.
Today's figures also show that there are now five million people registered as obese in the UK, compared with almost 4.8 million last year.
The largest increase in obesity was seen in Scotland, where a 16.7 per cent rise was witnessed.
Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "These are truly alarming figures. Part of why we have seen such a huge increase can be attributed to improved screening from healthcare services and greater awareness amongst those at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
The charity warns that there are potentially more than half a million people who have type 2 diabetes in the UK and don't know it.
Diabetes UK warns that the condition can go undiagnosed for up to ten years and 50 per cent of people already have signs of complications by the time they are diagnosed.Other news stories from 20/10/2008
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