Diabetes cases have risen by 130,000 in the past year
Diabetes rates in the UK have risen to nearly three million, according to a leading charity.
The number of people diagnosed with the disease has risen by nearly 130,000 to 2.9 million in the past year, says Diabetes UK.
They warn that the NHS is now spending £9 billion every year treating patients, which is almost a tenth of its budget.
Barbra Youn, chief executive of Diabetes UK, says: "The rate of increase of diabetes is growing with huge human cost and cost to the NHS. The time for action is now. Whilst rates of other serious conditions including many cancers, heart disease and stroke are steady or declining, the epidemic of diabetes continues to grow at even faster rates."
Some 90 per cent of sufferers have type 2 diabetes, this paricular form is generally caused by being overweight or obese.
The remainder have type 1, which is believed to be genetic.
Barbara continues: "We must reverse this trend if mroe people are not going to suffer unnecessarily and if diabetes is not going to bankrupt the NHS. Around 10 per cent of the NHS spending goes on diabetes and its complications; this equates to £9 billion per year or £1 million an hour."
Diabetes UK is trying to make people aware of the lesser-known risk factors associated with the condition. These include having a large waist, irrespective of weight, being aged over 40, having relatives with the disease, or being from a black, Asian or other minority ethnic community.
People with Type 2 diabetes may have the condition for up to 10 years without realising.