THE number of people in Dorset who have diabetes has risen by more than 1,000 in a year, new figures reveal.

According to Diabetes UK, the number of people diagnosed with the condition - which affects blood sugar levels and can lead to severe illness and health issues - now stands at 42,673, a rise of nearly seven per cent.

The newly diagnosed are part of the one in ten people over 40 in the UK who are now living with Type 2 diabetes, said the charity. The most recent figures show there are 3.8 million people living with a diagnosis of diabetes, with 90 per cent of those having Type 2.

However, the charity warns that there are almost one million more people living with Type 2 who don’t know they have it because they haven’t been diagnosed, bringing the total UK number up to 4.7 million. By 2030 it is predicted this number will rise to 5.5 million.

Diabetes UK blames much of this on obesity.

Their South West Regional Head, Phaedra Perry, said: “Thousands of Type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented if we help people understand their risk and how to reduce it. It’s true that the older people get the more likely they are to have Type 2 diabetes, but it is never too early to know your risk so that you can make changes to prevent or delay it.”

She said that three in five adults in England are overweight or obese, and while not every case of Type 2 diabetes is caused by excessive weight: “It is the single greatest risk factor for developing the condition. Many cases of Type 2 diabetes could be prevented or delayed by healthy eating, being more active, and losing weight if overweight,” she said.

With 12.3 million people at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, Diabetes UK wants to raise awareness of the risk factors so that people can take steps to look after their health and prevent or delay the onset of the condition and its complications.

Symptoms include going to the toilet a lot, being really thirsty, feeling more tired than usual and losing weight without trying, and, says Diabetes UK, they can be easy to miss, especially in the early stages. “The condition can go undetected for many years, and by the time they’re diagnosed one in three people already have complications with their eyes, feet, kidneys or nerves,” said Ms Perry.

“Early diagnosis means that fewer people will experience diabetes-related complications which can include sight loss, amputation, kidney failure, stroke and heart disease,” she said.

n You can find out your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes at www.diabetes.org.uk/riskscore