IT costs the NHS more than £1.5million an hour.
Around 13.6million people are at risk of getting it, while a million have no idea they already do.
Ten-year survival rates for breast cancer are better than they are for this killer – and the complications include heart attack, stroke, cancer and erectile dysfunction.
But what condition could be so crippling? It’s one that is preventable: Type 2 diabetes.
With lifestyle tweaks you can stop this stealth killer before it strikes. Boris Johnson has accelerated the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme to tackle the growing crisis.
With Diabetes Awareness Week next week, we have a quiz to help you predict your risk and a guide to stop the condition in its tracks.
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SO WHAT IS YOUR RISK?
1. How old are you?
a. 49 or younger = 0
b. 50-59 = 5
c. 60-69 = 9
d. 70 or older = 13
2. Are you male or female?
a. Female = 0
b. Male = 1
3. What is your ethnic background?
a. White European = 0
b. South Asian = 6
c. Black = 6
d. Chinese = 6
e. Mixed ethnicity = 6
4. Do you have a father, mother, brother, sister and/or child with type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
a. Yes = 5
b. No = 0
5. Time to get the measure out! Make sure you feel for your bottom rib and top of your hip bone, then measure around your body directly between these points. What range does yours fit into?
a. Less than 90cm (35.3in) = 0
b. 90–99.9cm (35.4–39.3in) = 4
c. 100–109.9cm (39.4–42.9in) = 6
d. 110cm (43in) or above = 9
6. Next up, it’s your Body Mass Index. You can use the NHS online tool to calculate this. What’s your BMI?
a. Less than 25 = 0
b. 25–29.9 = 3
c. 30–34.9 = 5
d. 35 or above = 8
7. Have you been given medicine for high blood pressure OR been told that you have high blood pressure by your doctor?
a. Yes = 5
b. No = 0
WHY? High blood pressure can increase your risk.
AND WHAT YOUR SCORE MEANS FOR YOU
0-6 points = Low risk
Your chances of having type 2 diabetes now = 1 in 200
Risk in 10 years = 1 in 20
What you need to do – Keep up the good work, and make lifestyle adjustments to further reduce your risk.
7-15 points = Increased risk
Chances of having type 2 diabetes now = 1 in 50
Risk in 10 years = 1 in 10
What you need to do – Make lifestyle changes.
16-24 points = Moderate risk
Chances of having type 2 diabetes now = 1 in 33
Risk in 10 years = 1 in 7
What you need to do – See your GP to discuss your risk and how to reduce it.
25 or more points = High risk
Chances of having type 2 diabetes now = 1 in 14
Risk in 10 years = 1 in 3
What you need to do – See your GP as soon as possible and get a blood test.
Developed by Diabetes UK. You can complete the survey online at riskscore.diabetes.org.uk to get further support.
‘I WAS IN DENIAL’
TINA Nandha was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this year.
The 37-year-old gift wrapper from Borehamwood, Herts, said: “I was invited for a check-up on my insurance and it showed my blood sugar levels were high.
“I was booked for a full blood screen, but October was busy for me so it wasn’t a priority. I think I was in denial too.”
Tina, a keen runner, added: “Technically I was in the best shape of my life, I ate well – or so I thought.”
In February, Tina called the doctor after noticing she was dizzy when she missed lunch. Chatting through her family history, she discovered her nan had type 2 and her mum was pre-diabetic.
She said “This prompted some more blood tests. The pre-diabetic range is 42 to 47, and I was 47.”
With her diagnosis came lifestyle changes and NHS group sessions. Tina aims to hit 10,000 steps a day.
She added: “Meals are more balanced and I eat better. No more TV snacking. Stress plays a huge part and I now take moments in the day where I can stop.”
STUB IT OUT
WE get it, it’s tough to quit. But what if you had a monetary incentive?
A pilot scheme being considered by Cheshire East Council could see smokers offered up to £400 to quit.
Failing that, why not reward yourself and put the money you are saving into a “new me” fund and treat yourself?
Scientists in Japan found smokers who had quit for a decade had the same type 2 diabetes risk as people who had never smoked.
TABLE MANNERS
WEIGHT loss and lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes go hand in hand.
Start with your food portion sizes and eat off a side plate instead of a dinner plate.
A study that was published in the Nutrition & Diabetes journal found overweight or obese people who cut their portion sizes lose weight, lower blood sugar levels and reduce the overall risk of type 2 diabetes.
SEXUAL HEALINGS
THERE is no escaping it – exercise is good.
The NHS says aim for 150 minutes a week. Sex can burn up to 70 calories every 30 minutes, while housework can blast 100 to 150 in the same time.
Dance around for an hour and you could cut 300 to 800 calories.
The Norfolk Diabetes Prevention Study found exercise, diet and weight loss helped reduce a person’s risk of type 2 by between 40 and 47 per cent.
TAKE A BREATH
BREATHING better can help prevent diabetes.
Tamara Willner, nutritionist at NHS-approved diet plan Second Nature, says: “Stress management is important for reducing your risk of any chronic lifestyle diseases.
“Meditation might seem daunting, so practise two minutes of deep breathing with your eyes closed every day, at the same time. It will soon become a habit and you can move to five, eight or ten minutes over time.”
GET GOOD KIP
IT is the Holy Grail of health – getting a good night’s sleep.
Tamara Willner says: “When we don’t sleep well, our body is less able to regulate our blood sugar levels.
“One of the best ways to ensure a restful night’s sleep is to have a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine.
“Try reducing your phone and TV screen time an hour before bed, lighting candles, having a bath or reading a book.”
CHEERS!
WHAT you eat is important and so is what you wash it down with. A study found a glass of wine with your meal can help cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by 14 per cent compared with a glass on an empty stomach.
A study in the European Journal Of Clinical Nutrition found a daily coffee helped reduce type 2 diabetes risk by up to 54 per cent.
But fizzy drinks can increase risk, so opt for water instead.
TAKE A LOAF OFF
WHEN it comes to carbs, quality counts.
Tamara Willner says: “Reducing your intake of carbs will reduce the glucose entering your bloodstream.”
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But that does not mean a blanket ban. Tamara says: “One of the easiest ways is to have one carb-free meal a day packed with protein, healthy fats and non-starchy veg.”
A straight switch from refined, white carbs to wholemeal brown options can also make a big difference.
