Could you be at risk of diabetes despite leading a healthy lifestyle?
The stereotype of a person with type 2 diabetes is someone who is overweight, leading a sedentary lifestyle and eating an unhealthy diet. There is certainly a strong link between diabetes and obesity, but 20% of people with type 2 diabetes are regarded as leading healthy lifestyles.
Many people don't have the condition diagnosed, simply because they don't realise they are at risk. People who don't appear overweight may still have internal ('visceral') fat surrounding vital organs, increasing their risk of developing diabetes.
Currently, the NHS spend 3.5 billion on treating diabetes every year. The number of people with diabetes is expected to double over the next 10 years, which means the cost for the health service will spiral even further. Globally, there are already more than 350 million people with the condition. Whilst 10% of those cases are type 1 diabetes, where lifestyle isn't a factor, the remaining 90% are type 2, where things like diet play an important role. There will be 4 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in Britain by 2025, according to the charity Diabetes UK.
Many people who have telling symptoms like increased thirst, fatigue and frequent urination don't realise they may be at risk of diabetes. The condition can stay hidden for years, only being identified when the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough or any insulin, at which point rising glucose levels will affect circulation, and increase the chance of heart attacks, strokes, blindness and amputation.
Warnings about diabetes have primarily been targeted at those who are overweight, and some experts believe this has led to the rest of the population being excessively complacent about the disease. There are also concerns that, as the condition has become more common, it has become increasingly normalised, and not something that people worry about.
Many people don't have the condition diagnosed, simply because they don't realise they are at risk. People who don't appear overweight may still have internal ('visceral') fat surrounding vital organs, increasing their risk of developing diabetes.
Currently, the NHS spend 3.5 billion on treating diabetes every year. The number of people with diabetes is expected to double over the next 10 years, which means the cost for the health service will spiral even further. Globally, there are already more than 350 million people with the condition. Whilst 10% of those cases are type 1 diabetes, where lifestyle isn't a factor, the remaining 90% are type 2, where things like diet play an important role. There will be 4 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in Britain by 2025, according to the charity Diabetes UK.
Many people who have telling symptoms like increased thirst, fatigue and frequent urination don't realise they may be at risk of diabetes. The condition can stay hidden for years, only being identified when the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough or any insulin, at which point rising glucose levels will affect circulation, and increase the chance of heart attacks, strokes, blindness and amputation.
Warnings about diabetes have primarily been targeted at those who are overweight, and some experts believe this has led to the rest of the population being excessively complacent about the disease. There are also concerns that, as the condition has become more common, it has become increasingly normalised, and not something that people worry about.
