There are three times as many people in England living with pre-diabetes today compared with eight years ago, new research has shown. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, revealed that more than one in three adults now has pre-diabetes – a condition marked by abnormally high blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes. Using figures from the Health Survey for England, the researchers discovered that the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes rose from 3.55 per cent in 2003 to 5.59 per cent in 2011.

However, the rise in pre-diabetes was much steeper – from 11.6 per cent to 35.3 per cent over the same timeframe. Half of the survey participants who were overweight and aged over 40 had pre-diabetes, while the condition was also more common among those living in deprived areas or from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. Commenting on the findings, Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said:

“Unless we make people aware of their risk of type 2 diabetes and support them in changing their lifestyles, we could see an even greater increase in the number of people with the condition than we are already expecting.”