MORE people than ever are at risk of diabetes – and some may be developing it without a clue.
Charities have warned the UK is facing a “diagnosis timebomb” after many people missed vital GP appointments during the pandemic.
1
Already some 4.9 million people in the UK are estimated to have diabetes, of which there are various forms.
But of those, some 850,000 people with type 2 diabetes are yet to be diagnosed – a figure up 150,000 in the last year, according to Diabetes UK.
Staggering stats reveal people can live for up to 10 years with type 2 diabetes – the most common type – before being diagnosed.
On top of this, some people may have a blood sugar level that is higher than usual, but not bad enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.
This is called prediabetes, or borderline diabetes, and means you’re on track to get a diagnosis if you don’t act fast.
A further 12.3 million people in the UK are “at risk of developing type 2 diabetes” – but many will not know.
They have risk factors such as being overweight, having a family member with the disease or being African-Carribean.
These people can start making changes, such as eating healthier, to prevent a diagnosis as early as possible.
Meanwhile, the pandemic has had a huge impact on people already living with a diagnosis.
Diabetes is a complex disease to manage. But concerning figures show nearly 2.5million people already with the condition missed vital checks over Covid.
GPs have performed 41 per cent fewer health checks in the last year, analysis by Diabetes UK found in June.
The backlog could be putting sufferers at risk of Covid death, heart attacks and strokes among other complications.
The total number of cases of diabetes is expected to reach 5.5 million people by 2030.
Diabetes UK chief executive Chris Askew said: “We’re sitting on a diabetes timebomb. Missed appointments and missed or delayed diagnoses can devastate lives.”
Are you prediabetic?
Prediabetes is a grey area.
It is when someone’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be classed as diabetes.
In the UK, around 7 million people are estimated to have prediabetes, according to Diabetes.co.uk.
People often don’t notice the symptoms and put them down to something else, such as their stress levels or their age
Dan Howarth
Experts say prediabetes is a “critical stage” in the development of the disease because this is when people still have the ability to slow down, or even halt, the condition.
But prediabetes has no symptoms, Dr Prash Vas, consultant in Diabetes at London Bridge Hospital, told The Telegraph.
He said: “[Prediabetes] has no symptoms. As your blood sugar levels go higher, the body will mount symptoms.
“Even this group of individuals can have complications, such as a three times higher risk of developing eye problems such as diabetic retinopathy. There is also an increased chance of developing kidney problems and early nerve damage.”
According to Dan Howarth, head of care at Diabetes UK, symptoms of diabetes won’t kick in till blood sugar levels are around 11mmol/L, even though anything above 7.8mmol/L after eating is considered too high.
“Even then, people often don’t notice the symptoms and put them down to something else, such as their stress levels or their age,” Dr Howarth said.
If your doctor is concerned you have pre-diabetes they will usually do either a HbA1c test, a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, or an OGTT test.
The NHS says type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed following blood or urine tests for something else.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Symptoms of diabetes can go completely missed because people think they are caused by something else.
Or their symptoms don’t necessarily make them feel unwell, so they are not even acknowledged.
The most common early signs of type 2 diabetes are frequent urination, extreme thirst, and persistent hunger.
You should visit your GP if you are:
- Peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- Feeling thirsty all the time
- Feeling very tired
- Losing weight without trying to
- Itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- Getting cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- Having blurred vision
There are other symptoms that may alert you to this disease.
These include:
- Dark skin patches
- Frequent infections
- Itchy skin
- Dry mouth
- Irritability
- Sweet breath
- Tingling or numbness
- Bad teeth
Are you at risk of diabetes?
Factors such as age, family history and ethnicity can increase a person’s likelihood of having diabetes.
The condition usually develops slowly when someone is over the age of 40 years old.
However, the risk starts increasing from the age of 25 if you are African-Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian.
Generally studies have found that people of African-Caribbean, black African or south Asian descent are two to four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those from a white background.
Obesity is fuelling type 2 diabetes, accounting for 80 to 85 per cent of someone’s chances of developing the condition.
Just because you have one or more risk factors for diabetes, it doesn’t mean you will get it.
However, it’s best to be wary so that you can prevent the condition now. Because the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are not always obvious, it’s really important to be aware of these risk factors, charities say.
Risk factors include if you:
- Are obese
- Are inactive
- Have high blood pressure
- Have high cholesterol
- Have a family member with type 2 diabetes
- Give birth to a baby over 9lbs
How can you find out your risk?
You can take the “Know Your Risk” for type 2 diabetes quiz to find out your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
The rapid quiz asks about age, weight, if someone in the family has diabetes and if you have been told you have high blood pressure, for example.
It will then give a score between zero and 47 points.
The higher the risk level, the more likely it is that person will develop type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years. For example, one out of four people with high risk will get type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.
If someone’s score is moderate or high they can refer themselves to a local service for support remotely or online, without having to go through a healthcare professional.
