Diabetes in Wales at 'all-time high', charity warns

Diabetes UK Cymru said many cases of type 2 diabetes were preventable

The number of people with diabetes in Wales has reached an "all-time high", a charity has warned.

Diabetes UK Cymru says there are now 177,212 people in Wales living with the condition.

It said if the trend continues these figures could rise to 288,000 by 2025.

Launching Diabetes Week, the charity said a lack of education on managing the condition had led to "devastating" health complications, including amputations, blindness and strokes.

According to the charity, many cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented but there is no way of preventing type 1.

Diabetes costs NHS Wales nearly £500m a year, it added.

Diabetes UK Cymru's director Dai Williams said: "Over the last decade we have seen the number of people with diabetes rising at an alarming rate and these latest figures are a stark call to action.

"We must act now or face the very real danger of diabetes devastating the lives of even more people, and threatening to wreck the already over-burdened NHS."

Type 1 diabetes

• People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin

• It is treated by daily insulin doses, either by injections or via an insulin pump

Type 2 diabetes

• People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin or the insulin they produce does not work properly

• It is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity