A Stamford diabetes specialist says it's important that people are diagnosed as soon as possible
New analysis shows that one in five adults in the UK are thought to be living with diabetes or prediabetes
A diabetes specialist from Stamford says it's important that people with prediabetes are diagnosed as soon as possible to prevent it getting worst.
New analysis shows that one in five adults in the UK are thought to be living with diabetes or prediabetes.
The total includes millions of people who are not yet diagnosed.
Diabetes UK are calling for those who are living with undiagnosed diabetes to be urgently identified.
In children and young people with diabetes, 98% of those will be type 1 diabetes
Nikki Dawson, paediatric diabetes nurse, said:
"If you look at the population of children and young people with diabetes, 98% of those will be type 1 diabetes."
"So the risk factors around that are different from the type 2 diabetes that you may see in the older generation."
"In children and young people, we are looking for increased urination, increased thirst, increased tiredness, and losing weight."
"Unfortunately, if you have a child or young person who has type 1 diabetes that is undiagnosed, it can escalate quickly into diabetic ketoacidosis, which can ultimately lead to death if not picked up quickly enough."
"Prediabetes will present before type 2 diabetes. It is preventable, and there are things that can be put in place to support."
"If it's picked up quick enough, then you can go on to live a happy life with no other complications."
If it's picked up quick enough, then you can go on to live a happy life with no other complications
The new figures from Diabetes UK claim 4.6 million people in the UK have a diabetes diagnosis, the highest on record and an increase on the 4.4 million reported a year ago.
This includes about 8% with type 1 diabetes, which happens when a person cannot produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body turn glucose into energy.
Some 90% have type 2 diabetes, which happens when the body does not use insulin properly, while 2% have different and rarer forms of the condition.
Meanwhile, Diabetes UK estimates a further 1.3 million people have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, with about 6.3 million people living with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, also known as prediabetes.
If left untreated, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes, although it can be reversed with lifestyle changes such as healthy eating and exercise.