A CHARITY has called for every Brit to take an online type 2 diabetes risk test – as cases hit a record high.
Cases of diabetes have doubled to nearly five million in the last 15 years, fuelled by an obesity epidemic.
New analysis from Diabetes UK shows 90 per cent of patients have type-2, caused by avoidable lifestyle choices.
Obesity is the greatest risk factor and accounts for up to 85 per cent of cases.
Chris Askew, of Diabetes UK, said: “As we look to the future post-Covid, preventing cases of type-2 diabetes must be a public health priority.
“The pandemic has shown with devastating clarity how diabetes puts you at increased risk of poorer outcomes when contracting the virus.
“We know that with the right support, up to half of type 2 diabetes cases, and the life-threatening complications, can be delayed or prevented.
This Diabetes Prevention Week, we want to help people understand their personal risk of type 2 diabetes and the first step is to complete our free Know Your Risk Tool, today.
“By taking just five minutes out of your day, you have the power to access information and support that could change your health for the better.”
The charity today launched an online tool for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week which allows people to see how at-risk they are of contracting the condition.
CHECK YOUR RISK
The tool then tells you what to do if you're found to be at moderate or high risk.
Diabetes UK found more than 150,000 people were diagnosed with diabetes in the last year alone.
It estimates that 5.5million will have the condition by 2030.
NHS clinical director for diabetes Professor Jonathan Valabhji said: "Diabetes significantly increases the risk of dying from Covid, so it is more important than ever that we focus our efforts on treating and preventing it.
“The NHS has already offered over 750,000 people at risk of type-2 diabetes support to lose weight on our world-leading diabetes prevention programme.”
Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said: ”These figures should surprise no-one.
"For 20 years, governments have done next to nothing to tackle obesity, the principal trigger of type-2 diabetes, and the numbers have rocketed.
“Until Boris Johnson wins his fight against fat which he announced a year ago, the UK will be plagued by increases in both obesity and diabetes.”
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