“The Growing Diabetes Crisis in the UK: Symptoms and Types Explained”

A growing number of people have diabetes in the UK and an NGO is warning of a health crisis that could spread. Mirror.co.uk.

Diabetes causes a person’s blood sugar to rise uncontrollably – essentially an inability of the body to break down glucose.

Ninety percent of those affected have type 2 diabetes, which can be hereditary but is often triggered by a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.

Diabetes UK says 4.3 million people have been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 – and an estimated 850,000 more are unaware they have the condition.

Charity CEO Chris Askew said: “These figures show we are in the grip of a rapidly escalating crisis. An increasing number of people are now living with type 2 diabetes and millions are at increased risk of developing the condition.”

There are two main types of diabetes:

Type one is when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells.

Type two is the most common and is when the body does not produce enough insulin or the body’s cells do not respond to insulin. This is considered the more manageable of the two.

It is a serious condition that increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, narrowing of blood vessels and nerve damage.

Two-thirds of the population is overweight, which increases their risk. The numbers show

What are the main symptoms of diabetes?

It is recommended that you visit your GP if you have any of the following symptoms of diabetes or a condition known as pre-diabetes.

A person with pre-diabetes’ blood sugar levels are high, but not yet high enough to classify the person as having diabetes.

Main symptoms:

• Go to the toilet more often, especially at night.
• You feel more tired because your body can’t get enough glucose into your cells for energy.
• Lose weight without putting in any effort.
• Genital itching or canker sores.
• Blurred vision.
• Feeling thirsty.
• Cuts and wounds are much harder to heal.