There are approximately four million people across Scotland and the UK who currently live with diabetes, but it is estimated that around 500,000 may have the condition without knowing it.
The new data has been shared by the Diabetes and Wellness Foundation, which also revealed that 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 — which in many cases is preventable.
Having Type 2 diabetes can in turn result in a number of serious health problems, including heart disease and strokes, according to the NHS.
READ MORE — Tesco urgently recalls digestive biscuits after finding 'small pieces of metal'
As reported by the Daily Record, having high blood sugar can lead to development of diabetes.
Additionally, having high blood sugar for an extended length of time can result in irreparable health problems such as eye, nerve, kidney, and blood vessel damage.
Two common symptoms of high blood sugar, also referred to as hyperglycaemia, affect the mouth — they are a dry mouth and "fruity" smelling breath.
Other potential indicators are increased thirst, the need to urinate more often, and nausea, as well as fatigue, blurry vision, and unintended weight loss.
In addition, the NHS states that stomach pain and recurring infections such as thrush, bladder infections (cystitis) and skin infections could be warning signs.
As symptoms of hyperglycaemia can also be caused by undiagnosed diabetes, the NHS advises you see a GP if this applies to you. Many people, it says, have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.
