The number of people living with diabetes has topped five million (i.e. nearly 10% of the population) for the first time, according to Diabetes UK.
Their new figures show that 4.3 million people are now living with a diagnosis of diabetes in the UK. Registration figures for 2021-22 are up by 148,951 from 2020-21, and more than 2.4 million people are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the UK.
Approximately 90% of diagnoses are Type 2 diabetes, and 9% are Type 1 and other forms.
They estimate there are an additional 850,000 people living with diabetes who are yet to be diagnosed, bringing the overall UK-wide figure beyond five million.
This surge in numbers of people with Type 2 diabetes is being driven by the 64% of people who are overweight or obese in England.
Every week, diabetes leads to 184 amputations, more than 770 strokes, 590 heart attacks and 2,300 cases of heart failure – a huge burden on the NHS.
More from Diabetes UK here.
