Diabetes in the UK

• Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high
• Typical complications of diabetes includes heart disease and strokes
• Age, family history and ethnicity are out of an individual's control, people of African-Caribbean, Black African or South Asian descent are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop T2D than people of a White background
• In an increasingly obesogenic environment it is more difficult to avoid unhealthy choices, especially if constrained by poverty
• Obesity is the single greatest risk factor, accounting for 80-85% of the risk, and in 2021, 4.9 million people experienced T2D
• In 2014, the prevalence of T2D was 60% more common among those in the most deprived quintile than the least deprived quintile in England
• The NHS budget is 9% for T2D, and 80% of the direct costs are related to the complications of T2D, but there are also major indirect costs, such as loss of productivity due to increased death and illness, and the need of informal care
• NHS England, PHE and Diabetes UK launched the first Diabetes Prevention Week in 2018, to spread awareness of T2D and its complications, and how to prevent it
• In 2021, the WHO launched the Global Diabetes Compact, a global initiative to ensure that everyone with diabetes has access to equitable, affordable and quality treatment and care
• The soft drinks industry levy was brought into law in 2018, with the aim of reducing obesity and encouraging physical activity and balanced diets for children
• Department for Education have ensured that since September 2014, PE remains a compulsory subject at all key syages
• All sectors of the food and drinks industry were challenged (by PHE) to reduce overall sugar by at least 20% by 2020