‘Diabetes epidemic’ warning

THE NUMBER of people diagnosed with diabetes in Carrickfergus has risen dramatically over the past five years, a leading charity has warned.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Oct 2011, 15:05 BST

Figures collected by Diabetes UK Northern Ireland from GP practices in Carrick indicate that 1,915 adults in the borough are now diagnosed with the condition, a rise of 38 percent since 2006.

In the last year there have been 101 adults diagnosed with diabetes, a condition which can lead to serious complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, amputation, stroke and blindness.

Northern Ireland as a whole experienced an increase of over five percent on last year’s figures with 72,693 adults now diagnosed.

“We are in the middle of a diabetes epidemic,” said Iain Foster, Director of Diabetes UK Northern Ireland. “An extra 21,000 people in Northern Ireland are now living with diabetes since figures began to be collected, less than a decade ago.”

Read the full story in this week’s Carrick Times, on sale now.