The globe is in the grip of a diabetes epidemic, and few countries are escaping its effects . Ulster is now suffering major diabetes problems, with almost 55,000 people suffering from the disease.
The Belfast Telegraph revealed the new figure, and revealed their concerns for the region. A spokeswoman for leading UK diabetes charity Diabetes UK reportedly said: “The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has increased by over 3,000 in the past year in Northern Ireland alone and by over 100,000 in the UK as a whole,” she said.”
Penny Mordaunt, who is the director of nations regions and campaigns at Diabetes UK, foresaw further problems in the future. She continued: “The increase in diabetes prevalence in the last year shows that diabetes is one of the main health challenges facing us today and as more and more people become overweight or obese the problem will continue to get worse. Diabetes is a serious condition, which can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and nerve damage that can cause amputation.”
Over 200 health professionals at the annual Professional Diabetes Conference held in Belfast are discussing the diabetes problem.
