One million people in England may have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes – what you need to know

By Duane Mellor, Aston University

Around 5 million people in England (about one in nine adults) are on the cusp of developing type 2 diabetes, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Experts also warn that 1 million people unknowingly already have the condition, most likely older adults. Type 2 diabetes can lead to long-term damage to your body, so an early diagnosis is crucial. Here’s what you need to know.

How did the ONS arrive at this figure?

This estimate of people living with diabetes came from the Health Survey for England. This randomly selects people in a way that gets a representative sample of people of different ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds.

To estimate the prevalence of diabetes, 26,751 adults were tested out of the population of England, which is around 57 million.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition that affects how the body can deal with glucose (blood sugar).

As a result of genetics and possibly living with a higher body weight, the body becomes less sensitive to the hormone insulin, which normally helps move glucose from the blood into the muscles so it can be stored and used. This leads to insulin resistance, which can persist for decades.

In people who develop type 2 diabetes, their body’s ability to make enough insulin to match the resistance and control glucose starts to fail. So there is a combination of insulin resistance and reduced insulin production that results in high blood glucose and the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

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What does diabetes do to your body if left untreated?

If diabetes is not well managed, it can result in short-term symptoms including increased thirst, a frequent need to pass urine, and even weight loss and blurred vision.

If glucose levels stay high for the longer term, it can affect how nerves work and it can affect blood flow to important organs.

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