New research suggests the number of diabetes cases worldwide will more than double to 1.3 billion by 2050.
Unhealthy lifestyles are fuelling a global health crisis with men, women and children of all ages in every country being affected.
Failing to control blood sugar levels can have devastating consequences. The metabolic disorder triples the risk of a heart attack and leaves patients 20 times more likely to undergo a leg amputation.
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It can also lead to stroke, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and complications during pregnancy.
In a Lancet study lead author Dr Liane Ong, of the University of Washington, Seattle, said: "The rapid rate at which diabetes is growing is not only alarming but also challenging for every health system in the world, especially given how the disease also increases the risk for ischaemic heart disease and stroke."
Currently, more than half a billion people have diabetes. Almost all (96%) have type 2, which is linked to obesity. That is a fivefold rise since 1980, when there were around 108 million people living with the condition.
It is now one of the top ten killers. High BMI (body mass index) was identified as the main risk factor, accounting for over half (52%) of death and disability. Next came poor diet, environmental and occupational risks, smoking, low physical activity and alcohol use.
Dr Ong said: "While the general public might believe type 2 diabetes is simply associated with obesity, lack of exercise, and a poor diet, preventing and controlling it is quite complex due to a number of factors. That includes someone's genetics, as well as logistical, social, and financial barriers within a country's structural system, especially in low and middle income countries."
Type 2 diabetes symptoms
Many people have type 2 diabetes without realising, according to the NHS. However, there are a number of common symptoms, including one that is more noticeable at night.
Many people with type 2 diabetes find they are passing urine more, particularly between evening and morning. Other warning signs include feeling thirsty all the time, feeling very tired, losing weight without trying to, blurred vision, cuts taking longer to heal, and itching around your genitals or repeatedly getting thrush.
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