Many diabetes cases ‘could be prevented’

A large proportion of the 3,300 cases of diabetes diagnosed in the UK from 2008 to 2009 could have been prevented with improved levels of care.

This is according to Diabetes UK, which made the comments after new figures indicated that there were a total of 13,465 hospital admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in the year to April 2009.

One-quarter of these involved children and adolescents under the age of 18 and the statistics showed an increase in diabetes cases of almost nine per cent since 2006.

“It’s shocking to see such high numbers of children being rushed to A&E with this life-threatening condition. Children and their parents desperately need better access to paediatric specialist diabetes teams,” said Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK.

Last August, a study conducted by the organisation found a correlation between the time of year and the onset of type one diabetes, with research indicating that people are more likely to develop the condition in winter.