18 million Brits could have prediabetes. Improved testing is needed to halt a diabetes tsunami

PUTNEY, U.K. - Oct. 19, 2023 - PRLog -- 18 million Brits could have prediabetes. Improved testing is needed to halt a diabetes tsunami

Analysis of the latest diabetes research by London Medical Laboratory has revealed up to 18 million UK adults could have prediabetes – which means they are on the verge of developing type 2 diabetes. That's considerably higher than the 7 million figure which is usually quoted.

That figure dates back to 2009 research by Diabetes UK which, two years ago, released updated estimates suggesting 13.6 million people were at risk of developing diabetes.  This is still considerably smaller than London Medical Laboratory's new calculation, which is based on results from the most comprehensive research into prediabetes ever conducted in the UK. This study, published on the British Medical Journal's "BMJ Open" website, found 35.3% of randomly selected participants were prediabetic. Growing obesity rates and an increasing population (there are now 53 million adults in the UK) mean that some 18.5 million Brits are now likely to be prediabetic.

Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), Clinical Lead at London Medical Laboratory, says: 'How can we prevent people with prediabetes from developing 'full-blown' type 2 diabetes, creating massive pressure on the NHS and altering millions of lives?

'Concerningly, prediabetics are unlikely to experience any symptoms, meaning the condition goes unnoticed even at the threshold of type 2 diabetes, where irreversible damage has already occurred. This invisible killer shortens lives by up to ten years. That's why London Medical Laboratory launched our "Give the finger to diabetes" campaign to identify undiagnosed cases with a simple fingerprick blood test

'The most accurate test to identify prediabetes is known as the HbA1c test, which can be done at your local medical practice but is also now available as a revolutionary and convenient home-fingerprick test from London Medical Laboratory.

'What will these test results tell you?

• An HbA1c of 41mmol/mol or below is considered normal.
• An HbA1c of 42 – 47 mmol/mol or below is considered in the prediabetic range.
• An HbA1c of 48mmol/mol or above indicates that you have diabetes.

'London Medical Laboratory's fingerprick HbA1c "Diabetes - Diagnosis and Monitoring" test is considered the gold standard in regular testing. It is used to measure the average level of blood glucose over the previous two to three months and both accurately monitor and diagnose diabetes. It can be taken at home through the post, or at one of the many drop-in clinics that offer these tests across London and nationwide in over 95 selected pharmacies and health stores. For full details, see: https://www.londonmedicallaboratory.com/product/diabetes-...