5 mln at risk of developing diabetes in England: report

Five million people in England are at high risk of developing diabetes, a new report published Wednesday by Public Health England (PHE) warned.

The prediction is based on a study of blood sugar levels, an indicator of those likely to eventually suffer from type 2 diabetes.

It is to lead to the country's biggest ever campaign to encourage those at risk to avert the disease with a life-changing lifestyle.

The illness already costs the National Health Service in England 13.8 billion U.S. dollars a year and leads to 22,000 annually dying early.

Today's report, compiled by PHE's National Cardiovascular Health Intelligence Network (NCVIN), provides the most accurate and robust estimate of how many people over 16 in England have blood sugar levels indicating a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

It was commissioned by the NHS Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) which supports people in reducing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by helping them lose weight, be more active and have a healthier diet.

A second report also published Wednesday by PHE shows programs similar to the NHS prevention program can succeed in preventing 26 percent of people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes from going on to develop the condition.

People supported by diabetes prevention programs lose on average 1.57 kg more weight than those not on a program.

A phased roll-out of the prevention program will start across England early next year.

Duncan Selbie, PHE's chief executive, said: "We know how to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes: lose weight, exercise and eat healthily, but it's hard to do it alone. PHE's evidence review shows that supporting people along the way will help them protect their health and that's what our prevention program will do." Endit