When most people think of someone with type 2 diabetes, they picture someone who is overweight, inactive and addicted to fatty foods. The link between obesity and diabetes is well known, but less well publicised is the fact that 20% of people with type 2 diabetes don't fit the normal stereotype.
Indeed, many diabetics haven't had the condition diagnosed, simply because they're not aware that they are at risk. People who look perfectly healthy may still have internal ('visceral') fat around their vital organs, which means they have a higher chance of developing diabetes.
Treating people with diabetes currently costs the NHS 3.5 billion every year. Over the next decade, the number of sufferers is expected to double, which means the financial burden for the health service will soar even further. Already, there are more than 350 million people with the condition globally. 10% of those cases are type 1 diabetes, with lifestyle not being a factor in those cases. By 2025, there will be 4 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in Britain, according to the charity Diabetes UK.
Many people who don't consider themselves as being at risk of diabetes don't realise that symptoms such as increased thirst, fatigue and frequent urination could be indicators of the condition. The condition can remain hidden for years until the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough insulin, or in some cases not able to produce any at all. Rising glucose levels will then affect circulation, and the chance of heart attacks, strokes, blindness and amputation increase.
Warnings about diabetes have primarily been targeted at those who are overweight, and some experts believe this has led to the rest of the population being excessively complacent about the disease. There are also concerns that, as the condition has become more common, it has become increasingly normalised, and not something that people worry about.
Indeed, many diabetics haven't had the condition diagnosed, simply because they're not aware that they are at risk. People who look perfectly healthy may still have internal ('visceral') fat around their vital organs, which means they have a higher chance of developing diabetes.
Treating people with diabetes currently costs the NHS 3.5 billion every year. Over the next decade, the number of sufferers is expected to double, which means the financial burden for the health service will soar even further. Already, there are more than 350 million people with the condition globally. 10% of those cases are type 1 diabetes, with lifestyle not being a factor in those cases. By 2025, there will be 4 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in Britain, according to the charity Diabetes UK.
Many people who don't consider themselves as being at risk of diabetes don't realise that symptoms such as increased thirst, fatigue and frequent urination could be indicators of the condition. The condition can remain hidden for years until the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough insulin, or in some cases not able to produce any at all. Rising glucose levels will then affect circulation, and the chance of heart attacks, strokes, blindness and amputation increase.
Warnings about diabetes have primarily been targeted at those who are overweight, and some experts believe this has led to the rest of the population being excessively complacent about the disease. There are also concerns that, as the condition has become more common, it has become increasingly normalised, and not something that people worry about.
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