Know your risk of type 2 diabetes — even if you’re under 40

Douglas Twenefour

Head of Care, Diabetes UK

Increasing numbers of people under 40 are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It is one of the most common — and serious — health conditions we face in the UK.

Cases of type 2 diabetes are rising rapidly and, until recently, it was considered quite rare in people under the age of 40. That common belief, however, is shifting after new statistics revealed an alarming acceleration of diagnoses in younger age groups across the UK.

Serious complications

Analysis of NHS data, carried out by Diabetes UK and our long-standing partner Tesco, has shown that cases of type 2 diabetes are now rising at a faster rate among those under 40 than in those over 40. Registered cases of type 2 in this age group are up 23% in just five years. 

It is important to remember that the numbers of under-40s with type 2 diabetes remain a small proportion of total cases. But this trend of rapidly increasing, early-onset type 2 diabetes is incredibly troubling. The condition is known to have more severe and acute consequences in people under 40 and, without the right treatment and support, it can lead to serious complications that include kidney failure and heart disease.

While type 2 diabetes is often stigmatised as a condition that people bring on themselves, the risk factors are multiple and complex.

Knowing the factors

While type 2 diabetes is often stigmatised as a condition that people bring on themselves, the risk factors are multiple and complex. They include genetics, family history and ethnicity, as well as living with obesity or being overweight, among other factors.

Social deprivation is also an issue. Factors such as income, education, housing, access to healthy food and poorer access to healthcare, have been strongly linked to an increased risk of developing a number of health conditions — including obesity and type 2 diabetes. As a result, people who are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes are often less likely to be able to benefit from support to manage it.

How to check your risk

To mark World Diabetes Day 2022, Diabetes UK and Tesco have launched a campaign to drive a million people to check their individual risk of type 2 diabetes by using our free online ‘Know Your Risk’ tool or by visiting their local Tesco pharmacy. Anyone who completes an assessment will be directed to free advice and information regarding the help and support available to manage their risk.