One in five UK adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes, analysis shows

Article text…

>**One in five UK adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes, analysis shows**

>Charity urges ministers to fix ‘broken food environment’ as surge in type 2 diabetes drives record number of diagnoses

>*Andrew Gregory Health editor*

>*Thu 6 Feb 2025, 00.01 GMT*

>One in five adults in the UK are now living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, according to “alarming” data that exposes the impact of soaring obesity levels, increasingly unhealthy diets and a “broken” food environment.

>In total, 12.2 million people are affected, the data analysis from Diabetes UK shows, including 4.6 million with diagnosed diabetes, 1.3 million with undiagnosed diabetes, and 6.3 million with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, also known as pre-diabetes. It is the highest total ever recorded.

>Only a small proportion of diabetes cases are type 1 or other forms unrelated to lifestyle. Colette Marshall, the charity’s chief executive, said the rapidly rising numbers were largely driven by increasing cases of type 2 diabetes.

>“While obesity is not the only factor that increases risk of type 2 diabetes, we’re concerned that the rise in the number of those living with … obesity is translating into soaring cases of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes across the UK,” she said.

>“We need bold and urgent action from government to reverse these alarming trends. We are seeing increasingly unhealthy diets, driven in part by promotions of foods high in fat, salt and sugar, resulting in unhealthy food often being the easiest option.”

>While the government’s commitment to developing a food strategy was encouraging, Marshall said, it needed to go further and faster to fix the UK’s “broken food environment” and ensure everyone had the opportunity to live in good health.

>“Incentivising healthier food and drink production, as well as building on the success of the existing soft drinks industry levy by expanding it to include other food and drink products that are high in fat, salt and sugar, are crucial measures that could make a real difference to the health of the nation.”

>Marshall called for those living with undiagnosed diabetes to be “urgently” identified, along with more investment for prevention programmes to promote lifestyle changes.

>The charity’s analysis shows 4.6 million people in the UK have a diabetes diagnosis, the highest on record and an increase on the 4.4 million reported just a year ago.

>About 8% have type 1 diabetes, which happens when a person cannot produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body turn glucose into energy. About 90% have type 2 diabetes, which happens when the body does not use insulin properly, while 2% have different and rarer forms of the condition.

>The analysis estimates a further 1.3 million people have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, and about 6.3 million people have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, also known as pre-diabetes. Left untreated, pre-diabetes can develop into full-blown type 2 diabetes, although it can be reversed with lifestyle changes such as healthy eating and exercise.

>“These latest figures highlight the hidden health crisis we’re facing in the UK, and underline why the government must act now,” Marshall said. “There must be better care for the millions of people living with all types of diabetes, to support them to live well and fend off the risk of developing devastating complications.”

>In an open letter to Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting, Diabetes UK called for the government’s forthcoming 10-year health plan to prioritise people with pre-diabetes and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes through improved NHS health checks.

>“With more people developing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes at a younger age, it’s also critical that much more is done to find the missing millions who either have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes but are completely unaware of it,” Marshall said.

>The charity also called for more investment in schemes such as the NHS diabetes prevention programme, which promotes lifestyle changes to those at risk of developing type 2.

>The Department of Health and Social Care said the new figures were “extremely concerning”. A spokesperson said its 10-year health plan would commit to a shift from sickness to prevention to help people to live a healthy life for longer.

>The government was also taking action such as restricting junk food advertising, and developing a new NHS digital health check to help people reduce their risk of diabetes, the spokesperson added.

Add semaglutide to the nations water supply its the only feasible option.

¯_(ツ)_/¯

This is why we need a fat tax

There’s no excuse for being fat

And I say this as a fat person

Fat people and old people are why the NHS is failing

I’m at risk of pre-diabetes. I go to the gym and do a 5k twice a week, I’m fairly fit and lift weights. My issue I think is time and convenience food. I work long days and nights often (high pressure office job) and just don’t have time to prioritise what I eat- so will often snack throughout the day. I can have really good months where I’m fasting/counting calories, but it just never really feels like a problem because physically I feel quite good.

Yet people still think Jamie Oliver is a bad guy. Even if you disagree with his methods, you have to admit his heart was in the right place. Poor diet and a lack of exercise is a big driver of diabetes and other chronic lifestyles diseases (dementia, cancer, heart disease, liver disease) and yet people still take umbrage with someone who at least tried to do something to help the nation, even if his method was flawed. The NHS would be in a much better shape if people took their health seriously.

Very easy solution to not spend any money – do zero screenings on the general population

I asked my GP recently for some blood health checks and he said no, I am too young (late 30’s)

Apparently you qualified for screening once every 5 years after 40’s. Joke if you ask me.

Most people just need a reality check and all it takes is a few small changes to keep you from developing full blown diabetes. I was told I’m pre-diabetic and my health coach has just encouraged a little more exercise and cutting out some of the junk, I’ve made a point of having a lunch time walk and I think twice about what I crave. In 2 months I already feel much better and as a bonus my skin is clearer and I have more energy.