Poor diet and obesity to blame for sharp rise in diabetes in people under 40
Diabetes UK has reported a significant surge in diabetes cases in people under 40, with thousands more undiagnosed.
The charity has reported that cases of type 2 diabetes among all under-40s have risen by 39 per cent, which is more than 47,000 since 2016/17, compared with a rise of 25 per cent for those over 40.
According to the NHS, Type 2 diabetes is when the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin properly – lifestyle factors often contribute to its development.
The report’s authors indicated that "drastic changes" over the last 25 years to the food people eat and the environments they live in are largely to blame, with poor diets and obesity now taking its toll.
Key factors leading to the rise include increasing costs of a healthy diet, the high number of unhealthy food advertising and easy availability of food high in fat, sugar and salt.
The study highlighted that until 25 years ago, type 2 diabetes in children had never been identified in the UK, but warned it is "now rising rapidly".
The report also stated that those with type 2 diabetes under 40 are more likely to be living with obesity, than those in older age groups. This was especially pronounced in children, with 81 per cent of children with type 2 diabetes found to be living with obesity.
Diabetes UK is now demanding the government introduce planned junk food advertising restrictions, and put in place “the building blocks of health” for every child and young person – access to green space, affordable healthy food, and quality housing.
A spokesman for NHS England said: "Obesity leads to a range of serious health conditions including type 2 diabetes, so it's concerning but not surprising that we're seeing an increase in the condition as obesity levels rise.
"The NHS has invested significantly in services to help people prevent, manage and, in some cases, reverse type 2 diabetes, including specific support for people under the age of 40 - but it is clear that reversing this trend requires concerted action across industry, government and society to tackle obesity."