New data has revealed a staggering one in five adults in the UK are now living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, highlighting the growing public health crisis driven by rising obesity levels, poor dietary habits, and a malfunctioning food system.
According to analysis from Diabetes UK, a total of 12.2 million people in the UK are impacted by these conditions. The figures include 4.6 million individuals with diagnosed diabetes, 1.3 million with undiagnosed diabetes, and an additional 6.3 million experiencing non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, commonly known as pre-diabetes. This marks the highest number of cases ever recorded.
The analysis emphasizes that the vast majority of these cases are type 2 diabetes, a form of the condition strongly linked to lifestyle choices. Colette Marshall, the chief executive of Diabetes UK, pointed out that while obesity isn’t the sole factor contributing to type 2 diabetes, the growing prevalence of obesity is directly correlating with the alarming increase in both pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
“We are deeply concerned that the rise in obesity is translating into a surge in pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes across the UK,” Marshall said. “The government must act decisively to reverse these dangerous trends.”
Marshall also criticized the UK’s “broken” food environment, where unhealthy diets—often high in fat, sugar, and salt—are increasingly promoted, making unhealthy options more accessible and affordable.
Although Marshall acknowledged the government’s commitment to developing a food strategy, she emphasized the need for more rapid and far-reaching action to fix the food system. She suggested that incentivizing the production of healthier food and extending measures like the soft drinks industry levy to cover other high-fat, high-sugar food products could have a transformative effect on public health.
In addition, Marshall called for urgent efforts to identify people with undiagnosed diabetes, alongside greater investment in prevention programs designed to help people make healthier lifestyle choices.
The latest data shows that 4.6 million people in the UK have a formal diagnosis of diabetes, a record high and an increase from 4.4 million just one year ago. Of these, approximately 8% have type 1 diabetes, a form of the condition that occurs when the body cannot produce insulin. Around 90% have type 2 diabetes, which develops when the body cannot use insulin effectively. The remaining 2% are living with rarer forms of diabetes.
The analysis further estimates that 1.3 million people are living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, and 6.3 million individuals have pre-diabetes—an elevated blood sugar level that, if untreated, can progress to type 2 diabetes. However, pre-diabetes can often be reversed through lifestyle interventions such as adopting a healthier diet and regular physical activity.
“These latest statistics underscore the scale of the health crisis facing the UK and highlight the urgent need for government intervention,” Marshall said. “We need to ensure better care and support for the millions living with diabetes to help them avoid potentially life-threatening complications.”
In an open letter to Labour leaders Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting, Diabetes UK urged that the government’s forthcoming 10-year health plan prioritize the detection and management of pre-diabetes and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. The charity also called for improvements to NHS health checks to identify individuals at risk.
“With an increasing number of young people developing type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, it’s essential that we act now to find the millions who are unaware of their condition,” Marshall added.
The charity also pressed for increased funding for initiatives like the NHS diabetes prevention program, which helps those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes through lifestyle modification.
In response, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the concerning figures, noting that the upcoming 10-year health plan will prioritize prevention to help individuals live healthier, longer lives. The government is also taking steps to combat the crisis, including restrictions on junk food advertising and the development of a new NHS digital health check to help reduce diabetes risk.
This latest analysis underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts across the healthcare system, government, and food industry to tackle the growing diabetes epidemic in the UK.
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