EMMA ELVIN is a dietician and clinical adviser for Diabetes UK
In the UK, an estimated 4.5 million of us have diabetes, and the vast majority have type 2. Type 1 diabetes, which is less common, occurs when your pancreas can’t produce any insulin – the hormone that helps your cells use the glucose for energy – due to an autoimmune response. It’s most common in childhood, but can develop at any age. There are a range of other types of diabetes, including maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), which is caused by a gene mutation. These types are rare but all can lead to very serious health complications if they’re not managed.
Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is linked to lifestyle and usually starts in adulthood. In this form, your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or it doesn’t work properly, leaving high levels of glucose in your bloodstream. Worryingly, it’s estimated 1 million of those with type 2 diabetes don’t realise that they’re affected. It’s possible for people to have had it for a decade by the time they’re diagnosed. Unfortunately, if type 2 diabetes is undiagnosed or poorly managed, the high levels of glucose circulating in your blood can cause damage to your organs and lead to complications such as heart disease and kidney and eye damage. Type 2 diabetes also shares risk factors, such as being overweight, with certain forms of cancer, including breast cancer.