THERE are now a record number of diabetics in the UK, with rates rising faster than average in Bradford, new research shows.

The figures, published by Diabetes UK to mark the start of Diabetes Week, show the number of diabetics in the UK has reached an all-time high of 3.9 million.

In Bradford, health bosses said diabetes was "the city’s biggest health problem", and that a major campaign to raise awareness in Bradford meant more people were being diagnosed.

The figures showed there were 7,868 diagnosed diabetics, a 3.3 per cent rise in a year, in the area covered by the NHS Bradford City clinical commissioning group (CCG), which oversees GPs in the inner city.

MORE HEALTH HEADLINES

In the NHS Bradford Districts CCG area, which covers outer areas such as Bingley, Shipley, Saltaire, Heaton and Tong, diagnoses were up by five per cent, with 19,622 people now registered with diabetes.

Stephen Ryan, regional manager for Diabetes UK, said: "Over the last decade we have seen the number of people with diabetes rising at an alarming rate and these latest figures are a stark call to action – we must act now or face the very real danger of diabetes devastating the lives of even more people, and threatening to wreck the already over-burdened NHS."

Many cases of Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, but there is no way of preventing Type 1 and it is not linked to lifestyle choices.

Diabetes UK called on the NHS to ensure people living with diabetes were provided with education and support to manage their condition on a day-to-day basis.

A spokesman for the two CCGs said: "Preventing diabetes and helping those people with diabetes to manage their condition and stay healthy is a priority for both our CCGs.

"For over 18 months, Bradford City CCG has run the Bradford Beating Diabetes (BBD) campaign to tackle the city’s biggest health problem – with the aim of raising awareness of the disease and preventing people from developing it.

"This innovative approach has led to the CCG being named as one of seven demonstrator sites for the national NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.

"As a result of the campaign more people have been diagnosed with diabetes, but there potentially remain thousands of people still at risk of developing diabetes.

"So far, 10,000 people have received a brief lifestyle intervention from their GP, while almost 200 have been enrolled on intensive lifestyle change programme sessions, run by specially-trained BBD champions.

"Throughout Bradford we are working hard to make sure more patients with diabetes are receiving all the vital health checks to make sure their condition is well controlled so they stay well and prevent complications.

"Bradford Districts CCG is looking to learn lessons from the BBD campaign and introduce similar schemes to help increase diabetes prevention and ensure patients with diabetes continue to receive the high quality care they need."