Third of adults show early diabetes signs

The prevalence of pre-diabetes nationally has tripled in the space of just eight years, according to researchers.

The new study has warned that if nothing is done to buck the trend, there will be a dramatic increase in diabetes.

The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, found that a total of 35.3 per cent of people had pre-diabetes in 2011 – a steep rise from 11.6 per cent in 2003.

The authors of the study examined data from Health Survey for England for the years 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2011 involving thousands of participants.

People are classed as having borderline diabetes, also known as pre-diabetes, when they have higher than normal blood glucose levels.

Those with the condition are at high risk of developing diabetes and its associated complications.

People were classed as having pre-diabetes if their glycated haemoglobin – a measure of blood glucose control – was between 5.7 per cent and 6.4 per cent and they had not previously been diagnosed with diabetes.

The researchers claimed that the results showed an “extremely rapid rise” in pre-diabetes.

People from poorer backgrounds were found to be at “substantial risk”, the researchers added, and the rapid rise in cases nationally in such a short space of time was “particularly disturbing”.