Over half a million (549,000) more people in England have been identified by the NHS as being at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in a year, NHS figures show.
The latest National Diabetes Audit shows that 3,615,330 people registered with a GP were found to have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia – also known as pre-diabetes – in 2023, compared to 3,065,825 in 2022 – an increase of almost a fifth (18%).
In people under the age of 40, there has been an increase of almost a quarter in the same period – from 173,166 in 2022 to 216,440 in 2023.
Identifying more people means that the NHS can provide an earlier diagnosis and support to prevent progression of the condition.
Health chiefs are investing £14.5 million to support up to 140,000 people aged 18 to 39 years old to receive additional tailored health checks from healthcare staff, and support with diabetes management, such as blood sugar level control, weight management and cardiovascular risk minimisation.
The NHS in England currently spends around £10 billion a year – around 10% of its entire budget – on identifying and treating diabetes. It also typically spends £6.5 billion a year on treating obesity.
Since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, local NHS teams have been given £36 million by NHS England to help restore their diabetes services to pre-pandemic levels.
