There is a pandemic of diabetes. More than 350 million people are affected world-wide. In the UK more than 4.2 million people (6.3% of the population) are estimated to be living with diabetes, many without even knowing it. In the USA 29.1 million ( 9.3% of the population ) have diabetes. Most individuals have type II diabetes the onset of which is strongly attributed to the adoption of a “western diet” rich in calories from refined carbohydrates and saturated fat. But type I diabetes is also increasing. Furthermore, type II now appears at much earlier ages, even in children, and increasing numbers of people with type II are insulin dependent. Even with an estimated 150,000 people in the UK developing diabetes each year, the prevalence of very long standing diabetes is growing even more rapidly as individuals with diabetes are living longer than ever before. This sets up a perfect storm for complications of diabetes which develop after long periods.
Author(s): David J. Ramsey, MD, PhD, MPH, and G.B. Arden, B.Sc, MBBS, FRC Ophthal, PhD