Nearly four million people are currently diagnosed with diabetes in the UK, but there are an estimated further 500,000 people who do not know they have it.
These figures were issued by the Diabetes and Wellness Foundation, who also say that nine in every 10 people with diabetes have the type 2 version. The Liverpool Echo reports that this type of diabetes can be prevented, but can also lead to serious health problems such as heart disease or stroke.
High blood sugar is a cause of diabetes, and if you have high blood sugar for a prolonged period of time, then it can result in permanent damage to important parts of the body - like the kidneys, eyes, nerves and blood vessels.
