Staggering Increase in Diabetes Sufferers

Around seven million people in the UK are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, according to the charity Diabetes UK. This is in addition to the three million people in the UK who have already been diagnosed with the chronic health condition. The charity warns that not only does this mark a significant decline in the wellness of people in the UK, it also indicates an increasing burden on the already-overstretched NHS.

Most of the cases of diabetes are the type 2 variety, and the increase has been attributed to the aging population in the UK, along with rising numbers of people whose wellbeing is affected by weight issues, such as obesity.

A further 850,000 people are thought to be living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes – a particularly dangerous situation to be in as, in order to remain healthy and safe, sufferers of the disease have to monitor their sugar levels carefully and take appropriate medication.

The figures of undiagnosed diabetes sufferers are particularly concerning as they are up a staggering 132,000 on the previous year. In addition to this, the number of diagnosed cases of diabetes has more than doubled in the past ten years, from 1.4 million to 3 million. Based on these figures, it is estimated that by the year 2025, the UK will have at least five million diagnosed diabetes sufferers.

Experts have warned that these figures represent a looming health crisis, as the burden of the increased numbers of people needing various types of medical care will have massive financial implications for the public health system.

Every year, 24,000 people in England and Wales die earlier than expected due to their condition, and, as the total numbers of diabetes sufferers increase, these figures are only going to get more concerning.

Google+
Staggering Increase in Diabetes Sufferers

Categories: Diabetes, type 2, undiagnosed

Why Is Diabetes On The Rise In The UK?

The incidences of diabetes are on the rise in the UK and the disease currently affects around three million people. On top of this, a further seven million people are neglecting their wellbeing to the extent that they are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The charity Diabetes UK has warned that if even a fraction of these people were to develop the disease, this would place a huge burden on the NHS. As it is, it is believed that around 850,000 people in the UK are actually living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. This is a rise of 132,000 when compared to figures from the previous year.

There are two factors which are believed to contribute to these shocking statistics, and that is the fact that the UK’s population is an ageing one, and also the rising rates of obesity amongst the UK population.

Since 1996, the official figures on those whose wellness is compromised by the serious illness have almost doubled. Back in 1996, there were around 1.4 million adults living with diabetes. That has more than doubled to over three million. Of these, around 90% are type 2 diabetes. Based on these figures, experts believe that by the year 2024, over five million people in the UK will have a form of diabetes.

Experts have warned that this type of increase in the number of people suffering the disease could place an immeasurable burden on health services in the UK. They emphasise that much more work is needed to be done on preventing type 2 diabetes before it becomes a health epidemic of this scale.

Leading figures of the charity Diabetes UK have stated the importance of identifying those who are at risk of Type 2 diabetes and helping them to make important lifestyle changes before they fall victim to diabetes.

Google+
Why Is Diabetes On The Rise In The UK?

Categories: Diabetes, rise, undiagnosed