Cases of younger people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the UK are rising to alarming levels, and this Diabetes Prevention Week we have outlined our plans to stop the crisis in its tra.  

Our new report, Reverse the Trend - Reducing type 2 diabetes in young people (PDF, 9,727KB), reveals there was an almost 40% increase in the number of people under the age of 40 living with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes between 2016-17 and 2022-23.

It’s estimated there are now almost 168,000 people under 40 with the condition in the UK, a rise of more than 47,000 since 2016-17, and the figures should come as a major wake-up call to policymakers.  

Our latest figures confirm an incredibly troubling growing trend, how serious health conditions linked to obesity, caused by the environment we live in, are becoming more and more prevalent in a younger demographic.  

In the Midlands and East region, the number of cases of people living with a diagnosis of diabetes has reached 1,175,470 in 2022/23. And there are 46,785 people under 40 living with type 2 diabetes.

Our report, published as part of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week (May 20-26) and launched at a reception at the Houses of Parliament, calls for all political parties to commit to a series of actions to tackle these rising figures. 

As part of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week, we are urging people to check their risk of the condition by using our free, online Know Your Risk tool. It takes just a few minutes to complete and advises you on your risk and suggests next steps to help reduce your risk.