02/10/2009

, Yahoo Health News

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has shot up by more than 145,000 in a year. GP practice data showed there are more than 2.6 million people registered with diabetes in the UK - up 145,499 in a year.

More than 5.2 million people are also registered as obese, meaning one in 10 people are being treated for obesity while one in 20 are being treated for diabetes, the charity Diabetes UK said.

GPs receive extra cash for monitoring patients with diabetes and the figures could partly reflect them registering more patients with the condition.

However, Diabetes UK said it believed unhealthy lifestyles and obesity were causing a genuine rise in the number of people developing the condition.

Around 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and eating an unhealthy diet. Around eight out of 10 people are overweight or obese at the time they are diagnosed with diabetes.

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said: "These latest figures are extremely worrying.

"Diabetes is a serious condition that causes heart disease, stroke, amputations, kidney failure and blindness, and more deaths than breast and prostate cancer combined.

"Many, but not all, people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, therefore we need to do all we can to raise awareness of diabetes and help people understand how following a balanced diet and leading an active lifestyle can help reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

"If we don't stop the rising tides of obesity and diabetes, millions will face a future of ill-health and will put an ever-growing strain on NHS resources."

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