More under 40s in Dorset living with type 2 diabetes
The study, from Diabetes UK, says it's due to poor diets and obesity
Last updated 22nd May 2024
A new report by a Diabetes charity is demanding action to tackle an alarming rise in young people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Cases of people under 40 in Dorset with type 2 have risen by 40% since 2016, according to data from the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB).
And Diabetes UK has now outlined a plan to deal with figures that have risen to 'alarming levels',
Phaedra Perry, Head of Diabetes UK – south west and south central said:
“Diagnoses of type 2 diabetes in people under 40 are rising to alarming levels in the Dorset area and across the UK. It’s a damning indictment of the barriers that many of us face to living a healthy life, where good food is affordable, and exercise isn't a luxury."
Their latest report has found almost 168,000 people below the age of 40 live with type 2 diabetes, around 47,000 more than in 2016.
They say the numbers should serve as a ‘major wake-up call’ to policymakers.
1,305 people under 40 in Dorset live with type 2 diabetes.
True number is higher
It's believed that there are many thousands of young people who are living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Ms Perry says there's a 'generational opportunity' to stop the crisis in it's tracks.
We need bold action to reverse the rising trend in type 2 diabetes, overturn our broken food environment and give every child and young person the best possible chance to grow up in good health.
“The decisions taken now will not only determine the health of young people today, but also the next generation," she said.
A recent report by by the Office for National Statistics estimated that 50% of those aged 16-44 with type 2 diabetes hadn’t yet received a diagnosis.
Type 2 diabetes has long been associated with older people - but cases in younger people are now rising faster than in people over 40.
The condition is known to have more severe and acute consequences in people under 40 and, without the right treatment and support, it can lead to serious diabetes complications that include kidney failure and heart disease.
Sadly, those who develop type 2 diabetes at a younger age are also more likely to die early.
Plans to tackle the crisis
In their report, the charity made calls on political parties to commit to dealing with the concerning rise.
They've called for:
• Put the building blocks of health in place for every child and young person, including access to green space, affordable, healthy food, and quality housing.
• Improve our food environment, which is leading to obesity, by introducing the delayed restrictions on junk food advertising and expanding on the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (sugar tax).
• Provide sustainable long-term investment in targeted support programmes for those most at risk of diabetes complications, to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
Type 2 diabetes doesn't have a singular cause, it being the coming together of numerous factors, such as genetics, age, bodyweight and where your body stores fat.
Why someone develops the disease is individual to them and people from deprived areas and of Black and South Asian backgrounds are more likely to develop the condition.
The charity is urging people to check their risk of the condition through their online tool - called Know Your Risk.