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Figures (published in 2008) suggest that the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled from 83,000 in 2006 to 167,000 in 2008.

Type-1 disease is commonly diagnosed in childhood, and is caused by the loss of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that controls levels of sugar in the bloodstream.

There are 2.5 million people in Britain suffering from the type-2 version of the disease, which is related to sedentary lifestyles and the growth in obesity. Type-2 disease, or late-onset diabetes, is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 40 although there are increasing reports of it being diagnosed in younger patients. It is mainly caused by a growing insensitivity to insulin, and is linked to obesity.

Research shows that losing weight can reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 58 per cent. People who are overweight, under active or over the age of 45 should consider themselves at risk for developing diabetes.

Diabetes becomes much worse when the disease is not properly treated and it can lead to serious complications, increasing the risk of fatal heart attack or stroke and other serious medical conditions. The earlier diabetes is diagnosed, the greater the potential of effectively avoiding cardiovascular disease. Early detection can be easily accomplished through a simple blood test.

Long-term complications of diabetes include foot and leg ulcers, stroke, blindness, kidney problems, heart disease and damage to the peripheral blood vessels. The disease is treated by changes to lifestyle, medication to lower sugar levels in the blood, or by insulin injections in extreme cases.

Take the 2 minute On-Line Diabetes Test

If you are white and over 40 years old, or if you’re black, Asian or from a minority ethnic group and over 25 years old and have one or more of the following risk factors, you should ask your GP for a test for diabetes:

The family

Having diabetes in the family puts you at risk. The closer the relative is, the greater the risk. So if your mum or dad has diabetes, rather than your aunt or uncle, it’s more likely you will develop the condition too.

Ethnicity

African-Caribbean or South Asian people who live in the UK are at least five times more likely to have diabetes than the white population.

Your weight

Not all people with diabetes are overweight but the stats show that over 80 per cent of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are overweight. The more overweight and the more inactive you are the greater your risk.

Your waist

Women: if your waist measures 31.5in (80cm) or more you’ve got an increased risk.

Men: if you’re white or black and your waist is 37in (94cm) or more you have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. If you’re an Asian man the figure is 35in (90cm) or more.

To measure your waist, the measurement needs to be taken at the mid-point between the top of the hip bone and the lowest rib. Ensure the tape is snug, but does not compress the skin and is parallel to the floor. The measurement should be taken when the person being measured has breathed out.

Other Factors

• You have been diagnosed with any problems with your circulation had a heart attack or stroke, or if you’ve got high blood pressure you may be at an increased risk of diabetes.
• Pregnant woman can develop temporary type of diabetes – gestational diabetes. Having this – or giving birth to a large baby – can increase the risk of woman going on to develop diabetes in the future.
• You’re a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome and you are overweight – you’re at an increased risk of developing diabetes.
• You’ve been told you have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) it means the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood is higher than normal but you don’t have diabetes and you should follow a healthy diet, lose weight if you need to and keep active, to help yourself prevent diabetes. But make sure you are regularly tested.
• Other conditions such as raised triglycerides (a type of blood fat) and severe mental health problems can also increase your risk.

The more risk factors that apply to you, the greater your risk of having diabetes.