Diabetes Could You Have A Ticking Time Bomb?

A tenth of us could soon be suffering, so the time to step up and make a change is now

- Lucy Gornall

The rise in diabetes has been a hot topic over recent years – in fact, four million people in England currently have the condition. But it’s set to become even more of a discussion, with new statistics claiming that by 2030 one in 10 of us will be a victim, costing the NHS a staggering £14.3 billion a year by 2035.

Diabetes is a disease where the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired. It’s type 2 diabetes specifically that’s a cause for concern, associated with obesity and poor diet. Type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, can only be controlled by either an insulin injection or pump.

But now, 12 million Brits are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes* – even Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan, 53, recently discovered she had a one in seven chance. And while it might sound like the ‘easier’ version of diabetes, type 2 can lead to devastating health complications, such as amputation, blindness and kidney disease.

Making some key lifestyle changes could be the answer to tackling this.

The diet debate

Around three in five cases of type 2 diabetes are preventable*. Nutritionist Cassandra Barns explains that diet is an important area to focus on.