26/08/2015

PHE Report Estimates Five Million At Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

New figures from Public Health England (PHE) show that five million people have a high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The report, compiled by PHE's National Cardiovascular Health Intelligence Network (NCHIN) and commissioned by the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHSDPP), estimates how many people over 16 in England have blood sugar levels in a range indicating a high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, otherwise known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia.

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of PHE, said: "We know how to lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes: lose weight, exercise and eat healthily, but it’s hard to do it alone. PHE's evidence review shows that supporting people along the way will help them protect their health and that’s what our prevention programme will do."

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity, NHS England said: "There are too many people on the cusp of developing Type 2 diabetes and we can change that. The growing body of evidence makes us confident that our NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme will reduce the numbers of those at risk going on to develop the debilitating disease."

Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: "Having high blood glucose levels significantly increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, which is a serious health condition which affects 2.9 million people in England, and can lead to devastating complications such as blindness, amputations and stroke, and ultimately early death.

"This is why it is really important that people at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes are given evidence-based support to reduce their risk. As well as helping to reduce the human cost of Type 2 diabetes, this would also go a long way to helping to reduce costs to the NHS.

"The NHS spends 10% of its entire budget managing diabetes and unless we get better at preventing Type 2 diabetes this figure will rise to unsustainable levels."

(MH)

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