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The proportion of adults with diagnosed diabetes trebled in England between 1994 and 2019, according to latest research.

The findings, which relate to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, are based on analysis of the latest results from the Health Survey for England 2019, which is commissioned by NHS Digital.

Covid-19 has rightly prompted greater focus on obesity reduction, which will also help with the problem of rising diabetes

Jenny Mindell

Researchers from University College London and the National Centre for Social Research analysed data from over 8,200 adults and 2,000 children living in private households in England

Their report shows the percentage of people who have been diagnosed with diabetes has risen since 1994, from 3% to 9% among men and from 2% to 6% among women.

They found total diabetes including both diagnosed cases and those found by the survey to have undiagnosed diabetes was much more common among people with lower incomes and obesity.

For example, 16% of people in the lowest income group had diabetes but only 7% in the highest income group.

Meanwhile, the proportion of adults with total diabetes increased from 5% of those with normal weight to 9% of adults with overweight and 15% of adults with obesity.

Additionally, the report highlighted that adults living in the most deprived areas were the most likely to be obese.

The difference was particularly pronounced for women, where 39% in the most deprived areas were obese, compared with 22% in the least deprived areas.

Professor Jenny Mindell, co-editor of the report, said: We have known for a long time that diabetes increases the risks of developing circulatory diseases and cancers.

We have seen this year that it also increases the risks of serious infection and death in people infected with Covid-19. Diabetes is much more common in people with obesity.

The Covid-19 pandemic has rightly prompted greater focus on obesity reduction, which will also help with the problem of rising diabetes, she added.

For the first time, the annual survey also asked about GP consultations, revealing that 69% of men and 82% of women had consulted a GP in the previous 12 months.

In addition, 84% of respondents had consulted their GP solely for a physical health problem, 5% for a mental health, nervous or emotional problem and 11% for both types of problem in the last 12 months.

Women were more likely than men to have discussed a mental health problem with their GP and to use counselling or therapy services for a mental health problem.

Consultations for mental health problems were more common among those from lower incomes 25% of adults in the lowest income group had one in the last year compared with 15% in the highest.

More here:
Data shows diabetes levels in England have trebled in 25 years - Nursing Times

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