Diabetes rises by 50% in five years fueled by soaring levels of obesity
Some 3 million adults now have condition
Increase of 117,000 in the past 12 months alone
By Sophie Borland
Last updated at 12:29 AM on 27th October 2011
The number of diabetes sufferers in Britain has risen by 50 per cent in just five years, fuelled by soaring levels of obesity, campaigners warn.
Some three million adults and children now have the condition, after an increase of more than 117,000 in the past 12 months alone.
The Diabetes UK charity warns that the NHS is now spending £9billion every year treating patients, which is almost a tenth of its budget.
Some 90 per cent of sufferers have type 2 diabetes, the form which can be caused by being overweight or obese.
The remainder have type 1, which is believed to be genetic.
Earlier this year a separate report warned rising numbers of children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, whereas in the past it was usually only seen in adults.
Figures suggest up to 1,400 have type 2 diabetes – a few decades ago there were virtually no sufferers.
Health experts blame the increase on rising levels of obesity, which is driven by junk food diets and a lack of exercise. Nearly a quarter of adults and a fifth of ten-year-olds are classified as being clinically obese, according to the latest NHS figures.
Scientists believe excess fat upsets the working of insulin – a key hormone which delivers sugar to cells – and this can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Those with the condition are five times more at risk of heart attacks and strokes and can also suffer damage to nerve endings in feet, cells in the eye’s retina and kidney disease.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2053908/Diabetes-rises-50-years-fuelled-soaring-levels-obesity.html#ixzz1cbPByugU
