Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
11 June 2014 09:04
New research suggests that more than a third of adults in England have borderline diabetes
One in three adults in England is on the brink of developing diabetes, according to new research.
Borderline diabetes - or pre-diabetes - occurs when an individual has higher than normal blood glucose levels.
Researchers analysed data from the Health Survey for England for the years 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2011. The study involved thousands of people, and the experts said results highlighted a 'worrying' trend.
They found that prevalence of pre-diabetes in England has tripled in the space of eight years, with those from poorer backgrounds most at risk.
This "extremely rapid rise" has led to a fresh warning that it is likely to result in a steep increase in the number of people with actual diabetes in the not-so-distant future unless something is done to curb the worrying trend.
The researchers categorised someone as having pre-diabetes if their glycated haemoglobin was between 5.7% and 6.4% and they had not previously been diagnosed with diabetes.
Glycated haemoglobin is a measure of blood glucose control.
Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, claims the findings have important implications on the NHS Health Check and other public health interventions.
She is therefore calling for those on the brink of diabetes to be made aware of the seriousness of the condition so they can get the advice and support they need to reduce their chances of becoming properly diabetic.
Diabetes affects more than three million people in the UK and can lead to a number of serious health complications, such as heart disease, stroke, amputation and blindness in the most extreme cases.
But just because you have diabetes it doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying the finer things in life.
Pre-existing medical travel insurance can give you the peace of mind you need to kick back and relax on holiday.
The research was published in the journal BMJ Open.
23 September 2017
Thomas Cook has launched a new service that will enable holidaymakers to select which hotel room they want, before even boarding a flight.
[more...]
22 September 2017
A new computer code that can be applied to GP surgery data could be the answer to identifying those most at risk of developing bowel cancer.
21 September 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning over a growing resistance to antibiotics.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.