07/01/2009

One Person Diagnosed With Diabetes Every Three Minutes

One person is diagnosed with diabetes every three minutes, according to new figures released from a national charity.

Diabetes UK published new data which showed the number of people diagnosed with the condition is growing faster than ever.

The figures found almost 150,000 people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2008, while the previous year saw 100,000 diagnosed.

The majority of people are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which is mainly linked to lifestyle issues such as poor diet and lack of physical activity.

Diabetes, a hormone disorder, can cause problems with the kidneys, legs and feet, eyes, heart, nerves and blood flow.

If left untreated these problems could lead to kidney failure, blindness, stroke, gangrene and possibility of amputation.

Douglas Smallwood, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK said: "Diabetes remains one of the biggest health challenges of our time.

"We must protect the health of the nation by taking urgent steps to further raise awareness of diabetes and its complications."

2009 is Diabetes UK's 75th anniversary and the charity wants to use this special year as an opportunity to further raise awareness.

(JM/KMcA)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

14 December 2011
Mismanaged Diabetes 'Killed 24,000'
A report into diabetes mortality has found 24,000 deaths could have been prevented if sufferers had managed their disease better.
14 November 2006
Poorest hardest hit by diabetes
People living in the poorest communities are 2.5 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than the rest of the population, according to new research.
07 October 2004
Campaigners warn of big rise in UK's diabetes sufferers
The number of diabetes sufferers in Britain has leapt by 400,000 people in eight years, according to new statistics out today. The Diabetes UK study, 'Diabetes in the UK 2004', found that 3% of the UK population – around 1.8 million people – is now suffering from the effects of diabetes.
27 October 2011
UK Diabetes Soars
The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK increased by nearly 130,000 in the past year, according to a leading charity. The report by Diabetes UK, published on Thursday, says some 2.9 million in the UK now suffer from the disease, representing a 50% rise since GPs first published diabetes data in 2005 (2m).
26 August 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.