Many people not aware they are potentially at risk of diabetes

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.

In fact, there are many people with diabetes who haven’t been diagnosed due to not realising that they are at risk. People who appear to be totally healthy may actually have internal (‘visceral’) fat around their vital organs, which increases the likelihood of developing diabetes.

Currently, the NHS spend 3.5 billion on treating diabetes every year. The number of people with diabetes is expected to double over the next 10 years, which means the cost for the health service will spiral even further. Globally, there are already more than 350 million people with the condition. Whilst 10% of those cases are type 1 diabetes, where lifestyle isn’t a factor, the remaining 90% are type 2, where things like diet play an important role. There will be 4 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in Britain by 2025, according to the charity Diabetes UK.

Many people have symptoms like increased thirst, fatigue and frequent urination, but simply don’t appreciate they may be at risk of diabetes. The condition can take years to detect in these cases, often not being diagnosed until the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough (or any) insulin. This forces glucose levels up, which is bad for circulation, and increases the probability of heart attacks, strokes, blindness and amputation. A pot belly is the most revealing warning sign for doctors, as it indicates a concentration of fat in the abdomen.

Only targeting overweight people with diabetes warnings has persuaded many people that they are not at risk, according to some experts. A pot belly is the strongest warning sign for doctors, as it reveals an accumulation of fat in the abdomen. There are also concerns that the increasing commonness of the disease has led people to take it less seriously, and many people want to see more emphasis placed on the need to modify lifestyles rather than rely on drugs to treat the condition.

Discuss the condition with other sufferers at this helpful diabetes forum.