Surge of diabetes cases on Guernsey

Fri, 03 Sep 2010
The Health and Social Services Department on the Channel Island of Guernsey have said they are concerned that, unless there are some drastic lifestyle changes on the island, levels of those suffering from type 2 diabetes could hit epidemic proportions.

Figures released by the department have revealed that over 2,400 people on the island had type 2 diabetes in 2009, but that this number was rising with 10 to 20 new referrals being made every month.

The trend is worrying, as there are more people become overweight, which is a major cause of diabetes, and this is happening at a younger age than ever before.

Anne Kinch, who is a diabetes nurse on Guernsey, commented that "Any action now is going to pay dividends for the future. The worry really with adults who carry weight round the middle is what I hear so many times – 'but I've always been this big'. And of course when you carry that sort of weight around when you're a teenager the body copes with it reasonably well, but as you get towards your 40s it doesn't."

Although so far there haven’t been any children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it may just be a matter of time. People suffering from diabetes are more likely to develop coronary heart disease, as well as associated blood pressure and cholesterol problems.

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