All Policies Include Coronavirus Cover
Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30
12 February 2014 08:52
Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles
New figures show the number of British adults with diabetes has topped 3.2 million, a trend which experts say confirms "an unfolding public health disaster".
Diabetes UK says the rise - from just 1.4 million 18 years ago - has been driven by increasing numbers of type 2 diabetes cases that are linked to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity.
According to the latest NHS figures just over 3.2 million adults now have a diabetes diagnosis, but estimates show a further 850,000 have the condition without knowing so.
Last year saw the biggest rise in the number of new cases since 2008, leaving about one in 17 (6%) UK adults with a diabetes diagnosis.
As well as health issues having diabetes can have implications for people going away on holiday but they can easily arrange pre-existing medical travel insurance for peace of mind.
Baroness Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "The big increase in the number of people with diabetes confirms that we are in the middle of an unfolding public health disaster that demands urgent action."
She said the only way to bring the problem under control was to put more focus on the prevention of type 2 diabetes. And that, she said, meant identifying more people at high risk of developing diabetes and then giving them the support they need to reduce their chances of getting it.
Baroness Young said with the rapid rise in type 2 diabetes being fuelled by the UK's obesity crisis it is vital people are helped to be more physically active and given easier access to cheaper healthy food.
She added that although diabetes accounts for 10% of NHS spending - most of it going on the treatment of complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and amputation - the priority the condition is given doesn't "reflect the size of the shadow it is casting over our nation's health".
The charity's chief executive said there was now an "urgent need to grasp the nettle" and focus on preventing the complications arising in the first place.
17 March 2020
Escape it all with a visit to one of the world's hidden island gems.
[more...]
02 July 2021
It's time for some Mediterranean sun and unforgettable sights. Here are five of our favourite must-sees in Malta.
Take your pick of the best beaches in Portugal, spanning more than 500 miles of the Portuguese coastline.
Holidays are back but not quite as we know them. Here's a quick guide to what to expect when travelling to and from green list countries.
28 February 2020
From tulip-filled trips to rose-tinged rests, these destinations are the perfect way to see in the new season.
04 January 2021
Join us on a journey to Ancient Greece to discover more about history's most revered statue.
Head north for a light show like no other. Discover how you can see the Northern Lights for yourself.
Discover more about the magnificent waterfall perched on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10 December 2020
Don't sleep on the world's most impressive dormant volcano.
A destination that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
19 November 2020
Take a tour of one of South America's most captivating natural landscapes.
Discover the hidden depths of the world's most recognisable desert gorge.