Almost 7,000 Britons under 25 have Type 2 diabetes including hundreds of schoolchildren - TEN times the number previously thought, shock charity study reveals

Diabetes UK found almost 7,000 under 25s have been treated for the illness
A previous survey of GPs identified 715 young people with the chronic disease
The figures are based on children attended specialist diabetes clinics

The true scale of the diabetes crisis in children and young people is up to ten times higher than previously thought, say experts.

The charity Diabetes UK analysed an audit of GPs and found that nearly 7,000 under-25s received treatment for the condition in England and Wales in 2016/17.

This is almost ten times more than the 715 under-25s receiving treatment in specialist diabetes clinics, as reported in August.

Today’s figures give the fullest picture to date because they combine the latest national audit of the number of children attending specialist diabetes clinics and the National Diabetes Audit, covering 95 per cent of GP practices.

They show that in 2016/17, a total of 6,836 people under the age of 25 were being treated for Type 2 diabetes. This included at least 11 aged nine and under, 196 aged ten to 14, 1,246 between 15 and 19 and a further 5,383 aged between 20 and 24.

Doctors say rising obesity is to blame for the surge in cases, which until 20 years ago had only ever been seen in adults.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6416327/Number-young-Britons-suffering-diabetes-sufferers-TEN-times-higher-expected.html