Almost one in 10 people in the UK will have diabetes by 2030 amid rising levels of obesity, according to Diabetes UK.
The charity says the country faces a public health emergency, with millions at risk of “devastating complications”, including heart attacks, kidney failure, stroke, amputation and blindness.
About 90 per cent of diabetes patients have type 2, which is closely linked to excess weight or obesity. The majority of adults in England are now an unhealthy weight and more than a quarter are officially obese, with diagnoses of diabetes having doubled in the past 15 years.
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said councils are doing all they can to help keep people healthy throughout their lives and reduce pressure on the health service and social care.
Investment in councils’ public health services, through the upcoming Spending Review, would reap benefits for everyone longer term, including for the NHS and other public services, and help level up the future health chances of local communities, he added.
“Obesity and its close association with type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest public health challenges we face and these figures are a worrying wake-up call.
“The growing ageing population means that the number of people with diabetes in social care is set to grow rapidly, placing extra pressures on councils’ care budgets, which are already under strain.”