It is a commonly misunderstood condition.

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin. It usually occurs between the ages of ten to 14 and accounts for ten to 15 per cent of diabetes cases. It is not preventable.

Type 2 diabetes develops when insulin-producing cells in the body are unable to produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced doesn’t work properly (known as insulin resistance). Type 2 accounts for 85 to 90 per cent of diabetes cases.

There are currently three million people in the UK with diabetes and an estimated 850,000 people who have Type 2, but haven’t been diagnosed.

An estimated 1,631 people in Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group are currently undiagnosed ‘missing’ diabetes, but it is thought this prevalence rate may be underestimated and could actually be as high as 22 per cent, which is why raising awareness of this condition is imperative.

To coincide with World Diabetes Day on November 14, clinical leaders with Bradford City CCG are launching the Bradford Beating Diabetes campaign.

The aim of the campaign, which will be split into two phases and run until March 2015, is to equip the 5,700 at moderate or high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes with the information they need to prevent them from getting the condition, and to ensure the diabetic patients within the city area – estimated to be more than 7,500 – have the information and advice they need to control their condition.

Some people are more at risk of developing diabetes than others – those who have a family history of diabetes, are overweight or have a large waist size, are not physically active, and people who are south Asian or African Caribbean – but the onset of diabetes can be prevented or delayed if people are aware of how to look after their health and have access to the right support.

The first phase of the campaign involves letters being sent to adults over 25 (if they are from South Asian and certain other BME groups) or if they are aged 40 (and white) and those with conditions known to increase their risk of developing diabetes.

They will be asked to make an appointment with the healthcare assistant at their GP practice for a blood test which will reveal whether they are at moderate or high risk, or have become diabetic.

If they are at risk or have developed diabetes, they will receive help, advice or treatment.

The second phase of the campaign, to be rolled out next year, will raise awareness about the condition and inform people how they can reduce their risk of developing diabetes through simple health and lifestyle changes.

Interestingly, Dr Akram Khan, the governing body lead and clinical chair of Bradford City CCG, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2007.

Despite knowing all the signs and symptoms, Dr Khan, a Barkerend GP, put his own feelings of tiredness and generally being unwell to working too hard, skipping meals and an unhealthy lifestyle.

A nurse at his practice suggested his sudden symptoms could be due to diabetes. A test confirmed the condition and forced Dr Khan to overhaul his lifestyle through exercise and healthier eating.

“Diabetes really did come out of the blue for me,” said Akram. “I’d never been seriously ill, so even though I had some of the classic symptoms of diabetes they were too vague for me to think anything was wrong.

“Looking back, I only had symptoms for a couple of months so I hadn’t had previous tests for diabetes and didn’t know I was at such risk. This is why our campaign is relevant for so many people in the city who do know they are at risk and have the chance to do something about it – hopefully to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.”

“Diabetes is on the rise locally as well as nationally – so it is one of our priority health challenges,” said Dr Adeel Iqbal, GP lead for long-term conditions at Bradford City CCG.

“We want to prevent as many patients as possible developing diabetes and to provide excellent care and advice to those who do have diabetes, so they stay well and in control of their condition.

“People often think that diabetes is just something that’s going to happen to them because of a family history of the condition or the fact that they know so many people who have it. We want this campaign to show that diabetes isn’t inevitable if more people knew how simple changes to their diet and lifestyle can reduce their risk.”

For more information about diabetes, visit diabetes.org.uk.