Diabetes - A Ticking Timebomb for Health Systems

Today is World Diabetes Day and the Practicus Healthcare team is highlighting some astounding (and disturbing) facts and stats about this serious condition. It is one of the most common chronic diseases, and its prevalence is increasing. Type 2 diabetes (90% of total) is preventable or even reversible with lifestyle changes, especially in diet and exercise.

Established by WHO in 1991 in response to growing concerns about the health and economic threat posed by diabetes, World Diabetes Day is an official UN day since 2006. With the staggeringly high number of cases throughout the world, awareness is more important than ever before.

Since prediabetes and type 2 diabetes may be prevented or delayed, raising diabetes awareness can educate people on possible symptoms and ways to reduce their individual risk. Spreading awareness can also be a way to help people with diabetes understand best practices for daily management, and dispel myths or misunderstandings about the different types of diabetes.

Diabetes in the UK

The NHS is facing a type 2 diabetes epidemic. Huge amounts of NHS money and time could be saved if more focus was given to better detection, lifestyle management and appropriate use of medication.

• More than 4.9?million people in the UK have diabetes
• - 90% have Type 2 Diabetes
• Diagnoses have doubled over the past 15 years
• Someone is diagnosed with Diabetes every 2 minutes
• 1 million people are currently living with type 2 diabetes but?are yet to be diagnosed
• Over 1 in 20 people in UK has diabetes (7%)
• 40,000 children have diabetes 3,000 children are diagnosed every year.?Most of these have type 1 diabetes, but worryingly today, 1,600 children have Type 2 Diabetes – and this is rising.

Impact on NHS

• The NHS spends at least ￡10 billion a year on diabetes about 10% of its patient care budget.
• Every week diabetes leads to more than 190 amputations, 770 strokes, 590 heart attacks and more than 2,300 cases of heart failure.
• More than 1,700 people have their sight seriously affected by their diabetes every year. That's more than 30 people every week
• One in six people in a hospital bed has diabetes, and people with diabetes are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital.
• In 2020 there were 57.7m items prescribed for people with diabetes, an increase from 35.5m prescription items 10 years earlier
• Diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes is rising 4% each year, and in children under 5 it is rising 5% each year
• A person with type 1 diabetes will have around?65,000?injections and measure their blood glucose more than?80,000?times in their lifetime.

Diabetes UK is calling for ICSs to prioritise diabetes and to redouble efforts to ensure routine diabetes care is returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022. It’s vital that it remains a priority in NHSE’s long-term plan refresh. This is crucial not just for individuals with diabetes, but for health services and the economy more widely.

Diabetes Globally ???

• The?International Diabetes Federation (IDF) ?reports that about 537 million people worldwide have diabetes. The number of cases has been increasing over the past few decades, and the IDF predicts 783 million people will have diabetes by 2045 — an increase of 46%.
• 1 in 10 people around the world have diabetes, but there is a growing list of countries where one-in-five or even more of the adult population has diabetes.
• 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.

November is diabetes awareness month across the globe. Throughout the month, individuals and groups spread awareness through campaigns and events intended to educate their communities on the impact of diabetes.

The International Diabetes Federation also celebrates?World Diabetes Day , which is recognised globally and held every November 14 — the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin in 1922 with Charles Best. World Diabetes Day has a special theme every year. This year it is "Education to protect tomorrow." This short video explains more.

If after reading this you wish to find out more about how to prevent diabetes -- the NHS has a web page with some very useful advice. https://preventing-diabetes.co.uk/.

Sources:

Diabetes UK ,

RCPCH - State of Child Health in UK

International Diabetes Federation