On Wednesday, the head of Diabetes UK, Richard Lane, will be in York to talk about how the disease is now one of the biggest burdens on the health of the individual, the nation and the NHS. In an exclusive interview with RICHARD CATTON, he dispels some of the myths and reveals some shocking truths about the diabetes timebomb.

THE UK is ignoring all the warnings about diabetes at its peril, according to the head of Diabetes UK, Richard Lane. By his own admission, this is something which doesn’t just concern him, it actually frightens him.

The situation has prompted Richard to embark on an extensive lecture tour of the UK in an attempt to bring home to the public the dire consequences to the nation of the “ticking timebomb.”

The figures are sobering. “Treating diabetes and its related conditions takes up about ten to 12 per cent of the annual NHS budget,” he said.

“That’s three times as much as treating all forms of cancer. This is why we get so frightened that the message isn’t getting through to the Government, the NHS and the public.”

Richard himself is one of about 250,000 people in the UK with type one diabetes, a condition he has had since he was 35.

It is often referred to as the most “serious” form of the disease because it leaves sufferers dependent on regular insulin injections and can strike anyone at anytime of life.

Those with type one make up only ten per cent of the total number of people in the UK with diabetes. He said there are about 2.65 million with the type two version of the illness, which again can strike anyone of any age, though Richard points out diet and lifestyle can have a huge influence.

He said: “It’s very often thought that everyone with type two diabetes got it through their own fault.

“There are some people who get it genetically and a lot of people get it as a result of a more serious illness or perhaps after an operation.

“It’s grossly unfair that these people are considered to have it because of a poor lifestyle and it’s quite important to us that the message gets across.”

However, and it is a big however, Richard makes it clear that the majority of those with type two have it because of their lifestyle.

“It can be through poor diet and lack of exercise but it could also be through smoking and excess alcohol,” he said. “There are a variety of reasons, but those are the main ones.

“There are 2.65million people with type two diabetes in the UK.

“However, there are another 900,000 walking around with the early symptoms of type two but who have not been diagnosed.

“Most of them will know something isn’t quite right and they may be a little frightened of going to the doctor.

“They could be losing a bit of weight. They could tired. A lot of them will be overweight.”

He said: “It’s important we understand these figures. Unless we can get it in check the figure will be five million people by 2020. That is an awful figure.”

And to those who think diabetes is an easily controlled disease, it comes at very high price, he warned.

He said: “There are two costs. The effect on family life, which it changes for ever, and the other is financial in terms of treating diabetes and its complications.

“When you approach people about lifestyle, frequently the ‘it won’t happen to me’ syndrome comes in. We have taken it upon ourselves to convince people that they need to take a hard look at their lifestyles.

“We are concerned about the NHS, but most of all the people themselves, and the message isn’t getting through.

“If you look through the window of fast-food outlets you see children who are overweight and their parents and it is just like they couldn’t give a toss.”

For anybody not convinced, Richard is only too happy to spell it out in stark terms. He says there are 100 amputations every week in the UK as a result of diabetes.

The disease is also the biggest single contributor to kidney failure in the UK and can also lead to circulation problems, particularly affecting the feet.

The illness can also take a heavy psychological toll with the change to diet and the knowlege that you will be on medication for the rest of your life.

Life insurance, holiday cover and even your driving license can all be hit by a diagnosis too.

He said: “We are genuinely frightened by it – not just concerned. We want to help people avoid the awful consequences of diabetes.”

Richard Lane presents Diabetes: A Ticking Timebomb at 7.30pm in the Lecture Theatre, the Post Grad Centre, York Hospital, on Wednesday.

For more details, phone 01904 410490 or email yorkdiabetes@hotmail.co.uk