According to a new survey commissioned by Diabetes UK, less than a third of people are aware that type 2 diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart attack, amputation, stroke and blindness. Results from the survey were revealed ahead of today’s launch of the UK’s largest national awareness campaign to encourage people to check their risk of type 2 diabetes.
Out of the 1,000 people who participated in the ICM Research survey, only 30% were aware that type 2 diabetes increases the risk of blindness. Knowledge of other complications was even lower, with only 15% aware of heart attacks, 28% of amputation and 7% of stroke. Shockingly, just 13% knew that having diabetes increases mortality risk, which is 36% greater in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to those without the condition.
The £2 million advertising campaign is being launched by the charity following concerns that people are unlikely to check their risk and make lifestyle changes if they are unaware of the seriousness of the condition. It is thought that up to 80% of type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented by lifestyle interventions.
The campaign, which is being funded by Diabetes UK’s National Charity Partnership with Tesco, will involve on-street, radio, transport and digital advertising. With the aim of raising £10 million to help those with or at risk of diabetes, the campaign hopes to increase awareness of the major risk factors for diabetes, including being overweight; having a waist size over 37 inches if you are a man or 31.5 for women (35 inches for South Asian men); having a family history of diabetes; or being over 40 years of age (over 25 for black and South Asian people).
Findings from the survey suggest that only 50% of people knew that being overweight is a risk factor for diabetes. Just 13% identified having a family history as a risk factor and less than 1% knew that being South Asian or black can increase diabetes risk. As a part of the campaign, people will be urged to have their risk assessed by visiting a Tesco pharmacy, other pharmacies or their GP. Alternatively, people can also check their risk online, at: www.diabetes.org.uk/risk
Barbara Young, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “You only have to spend five minutes talking to someone who has lost their sight or has lost a leg as a result of Type 2 diabetes to realise the devastating impact the condition can have. But this survey makes it clear that most people do not understand the potential consequences of developing it and I worry that until we finally lay to rest the myth that Type 2 diabetes is a mild condition, it will continue to be seen as something that is not worth being concerned about. This is a misconception that is wrecking lives and is the reason that as a country we are sleepwalking towards a public health disaster of an almost unimaginable scale.
“But the good news is that developing Type 2 diabetes is not just a question of fate. By doing relatively simple things like losing some weight, eating more fruits and vegetables and becoming more active, we can all significantly reduce our risk, even if our ethnicity or family history has put our risk at a higher starting point.
“This is why I hope our advertising campaign will help people realise why it is so important that they understand their own risk of Type 2 and making lifestyle changes if they are one of the 7 million of us who are at high risk. We need to send out the strong message that burying your head in the sand can be disastrous. If any of the risk factors apply to you then you should check your risk today.”
