Prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases by 24 per cent in East Midlands

[DCUK NewsBot]

The number of people across the East Midlands with type 2 diabetes has gone up by 24.4 per cent in five years, according to new figures. The diabetes prevalence figures, which have been released by NHS Digital, suggests there are now one in 14 people with the condition. In March 2011, there were 212,093 people in the region with type 2 diabetes, and this has increased to 264,358 in March 2016. Within the last year, 9,747 people have been newly diagnosed; a rise of 3.8 per cent. To raise awareness of the condition in the region, the East Midlands Cardiovascular Clinical Network has created the East Midlands Diabetes Week, which started yesterday (16 January 2017). GP surgeries have been highlighting the risk factors of type 2 diabetes and urging people to find out their diabetes risk score. People who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes are referred onto the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which is being rolled out nationally. Throughout the week, the diabetes charity Silver Star has launched a Diabetes Prevention Roadshow. The organisation is sending its mobile diabetes units to various locations around the region, testing members of the public to see whether they are at risk of the developing the condition. There are currently around 4.5 million people in the UK with diabetes, with type 2 diabetes accounting for the majority of this. In response, the Public Health England developed the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. The initiative was launched in the East Midlands in July last year and since then more than 2,000 people have been referred onto the programme. It works by offering participants support to help them make positive changes to their diet, weight and exercise routines to help reduce their chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Martin Cassidy, lead coordinator for the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in the East Midlands, said: "The fact that type 2 figures have increased in the East Midlands comes as no surprise as we already know the condition has become a major and worrying health concern. "The Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which is gradually being rolled out across the country, has been implemented to help those who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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