11.5 million Britons must improve lifestyle or risk being struck down with diabetes!

AS MANY as 11.5million Britons must improve their unhealthy lifestyles or be struck down with diabetes, an “alarming” report warns.

Poor eating habits and little exercise have put one in five at risk of heading to an early grave. The figures, published today, expose the extent to which our increasingly sedentary lives are creating a nationwide health problem.

Public health chiefs say people must change the way they live to arrest the rapid rise in the disease. Last year it was thought seven million were at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

But an obsession with fatty and convenience foods and poor lifestyles has seen those in danger rocket to more than 11 million, a rise of 60 per cent. This is on top of the four million already suffering both types of the ailment. The crisis is now so severe the NHS will struggle to cope with the extra patients, experts say.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK which released the figures, said: “That 11.5million people are now at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes is a wake-up call for us all to find out our own risk.

“Many cases are preventable and this is why it is so important people know their risk and take action if they are at increased risk.”

Today the Daily Express launches a bid in conjunction with Diabetes UK to get the nation back on its feet.

More on this story in the Express today here. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/579699/diabetes-11-5million-Britons-unhealthy-lifestyle

Hardly a month seems to go by when Barbara Young is not banging the doom and gloom drum, she must have a very disheartening job. Imagine being the head of a very long standing organisation such as DUK, that has made not a jot of difference to the obesity epidemic and the often linked type two diabetes tragedy whatsoever. As most informed people know, exercise is great for general health and fitness, but as a weight loss tool not far off useless. But, all is not lost "Some 10,000 pedometers are to be given away accompanied by a pocket-sized guide to beat diabetes"

What's the betting if dietary advice is included in the guide, it will be exactly the same advice that has been promoted by DUK, NHS, ADA, and BDA for years. And you all know where that has lead to, err... the obesity and type two diabetes epidemics. It seems to me those pedometers will prove to be as useless as Baroness Young's diabetes UK at improving the current lamentable situation, but hey, I suppose she has to something for that £100K a year salary.

One last thought, I wonder how much of her salary depends on all the big pharma outfits that fund DUK euphemistically called "acknowledgements"

EDDDDDIIIIEEEEE! You're back! I didn't like that Loose Cannon fella much, he was a bit grumpy.

Well that figure of 11.5 million is truly shocking. When I first read this post this morning I was angry because if only DUK would give out decent dietary advice then people would have the choice whether to become part of this statistic or not. Whilst they follow current advice they can will become part of the 11.5 million. Disgusting. When will health authorities tell the truth? It's so easy to stop this.

Then I thought, "How easy is this in reality?" Decent food has a tendency to be more expensive than carbs. Would we be able to provide enough nutritious food at the right price if all of those 11.5 million listened to the low carb message? How would we do it? I suppose we would adapt in time.

Anyhow, interesting article Eddie.

zand wrote:EDDDDDIIIIEEEEE!  You're back!  I didn't like that Loose Cannon fella much, he was a bit grumpy.  

Would you believe my account got hacked by some Geeza on the run from a lunatic asylum. OK, I thought not, but it was worth a try. But the bottom line is.

" Would we be able to provide enough nutritious food at the right price if all of those 11.5 million listened to the low carb message? How would we do it? I suppose we would adapt in time. "

Interesting question that Zand put forward ...

Things would certainly need to change, but I'm sure if everyone was determined a way could be found. Of course there would still be certain food companies that may not be too happy about this. But lets look at it another way ... there may be other companies and new firms that might be.  

All the best Jan