CASES of diabetes in Kirklees have risen by nearly 900 in just one year.

According to the annual report by Diabetes UK, the number of diagnoses has risen by 844 – from 18,059 to 18,923.

The report, which looked at diabetics registered with GPs over the age of 17, also found that across Yorkshire and the Humber, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has risen by 12,000.

Cases in Calderdale have risen by 349.

The rise is mainly in cases of Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for around 90% of all diagnoses.

Diabetes UK has warned that it commonly develops in people who are overweight, have a large waist, are over 40, have a family history of the condition or are from Black, Asian or minority ethnic communities.

Linda Wood, Northern and Yorkshire regional Manager at Diabetes UK, said: “The rate of increase of diabetes is growing with huge human cost and cost to the NHS.

“The time for action is now.

“Whilst rates of other serious conditions including many cancers, heart disease and stroke are steady or declining, the epidemic of diabetes continues to grow at even faster rates.

“Simple things can make a huge impact.

“The NHS Vascular Screening Health Checks is critical in detecting early signs of Type 2 diabetes.

“Losing 10% of your weight reduces your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by 50%.

“We must reverse this trend if more people are not going to suffer unnecessarily and if diabetes is not going to bankrupt the NHS.

“Around 10% of NHS spending goes on diabetes and its complications, this equates to £9 billion per year or £1 million an hour.

Symptoms of diabetes are going to the toilet to urinate all the time especially at night, increased thirst, extreme tiredness, unexplained weight loss, genital itching or regular episodes of thrush.

Blurred vision and slow healing of cuts and wounds are also common.

In Type 2 diabetes, the signs of the condition are less obvious and in some cases can go undetected for up to 10 years.

This can mean that half of people will show signs of complications by the time they are officially diagnosed.

According to a Diabetes UK spokesman, the symptoms can be “quickly relieved once diabetes is being treated and under control”.

To check your diabetes risk level online visit the website:

www.diabets.org.uk/riskscore