Diabetes becoming ‘national health emergency’

Diabetes is becoming a “national health emergency” with thousands of new cases diagnosed every week, says a leading charity which warns it could lead to a rise in amputations and kidney failure.

More than 280,000 people are learning of having the condition every year – equivalent to the population of Newcastle upon Tyne – according to an audit by Diabetes UK.

About 3.8 million people already have the condition and more than a third of the population have borderline diabetes.

Every day 738 new cases of the obesity-linked type 2 diabetes are discovered, causing the great public health concern because of its link to an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: “This clearly shows the frightening scale of what is fast becoming a national health emergency.

“As the number of people with diabetes grows, we are likely to see even more endure devastating health complications such as amputation and kidney failure and more people die tragically young.”