New way of checking diabetes risk developed

Thu, 12 Aug 2010
Scientists have developed a method for assessing how prone people are to getting diabetes . The new approach has produced the first systematic diabetes risk assessment that can be used in a multi-ethnic population .

The Diabetes Risk Score can identify how high a risk someone is of getting diabetes by asking seven relevant questions regarding age, ethnicity, sex, family history of diabetes, waist size, body mass index (BMI) and treatment or history of high blood pressure .

However, the method, developed by a team from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in partnership with the diabetes charity, Diabetes UK, does not tell if someone has diabetes, just what their risk of having it is. Their doctor then needs to be seen to provide a formal diagnosis.

Professor Melanie Davies, Honorary Consultant Physician in Diabetes at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, pointed out that "There are an estimated 2.6m people in England with diabetes, with 500,000 of them not diagnosed."

"The Diabetes Risk Score will enable people to quickly and easily find out what their chance of having diabetes is and take action accordingly. The earlier diabetes is diagnosed the earlier effective treatment can start."

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