The number people living with diabetes in the UK has topped five million for the first time ever sparking a UK charity to issue a stark warning.
Diabetes UK said that figures have reached a record high with the UK currently in the grips of a "rapidly escalating diabetes crisis".
As many as 90 percent of diabetics in the UK suffer Type 2 which is linked to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as being overweight or inactive, warns Diabetes UK. The charity says that since 2015-16, diagnoses have soared from 3.6 million to 4.3 million.
However, the charity believes that there are at least 850,000 undiagnosed diabetics bringing the true number past the five million mark, reports the Mirror.
Diabetes causes the level of sugar in the blood to become too high.
Diabetes UK chief executive Chris Askew OBE said: “It’s a relentless condition and the fear of serious complications is a lifelong reality for millions.
"These figures show we’re in the grip of a rapidly escalating diabetes crisis, with spiralling numbers of people now living with Type 2 and millions at high risk of developing the condition.”
The charity encourages people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes including, needing to urinate a lot, being thirsty, fatigue and losing weight without trying. Following the alarming record figures, it is more important than ever to know potential warning signs and symptoms.
Diabetes symptoms
According to Scotland's NHS inform, the main symptoms of diabetes are:
- feeling very thirsty
- urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- feeling very tired
- weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- cuts or wounds that heal slowly
- blurred vision
This applies for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes sufferers. However the health information service adds that people with Type 2 can have it for years without realising because early symptoms tend to be general.
Diabetes risk factors
The charity said that the condition is becoming increasingly common among those under the age of 40 and more prevalent in areas where there are higher levels of deprivation.
It said the risk factors of type 2 diabetes are “multiple and complex” and include age, family history, ethnicity, as well as being overweight or obese.
Without proper care and support, people with diabetes can suffer serious side effects including sight loss, amputations, strokes, heart attacks and heart failure.
The public is also urged to use the Diabetes UK’s free, online Know Your Risk tool on the charity’s website.
Diabetes UK wants the Government to address the nation's social conditions, which could make it more difficult to live a lifestyle that reduces the conditions' risks.
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