DIABETES is a serious health condition and yet, according to the national charity Diabetes UK, fewer than two in five people think they or their close family are likely to get diabetes.

They are not concerned about the condition and they don’t understand or even know what it is - even though around 4.5 million people in the UK are living with diabetes and 11.9 million people in the UK are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

There are two main types of diabetes and effective treatments have been developed for both, but the condition can also carry the risk of life-changing complications such as blindness, cardiovascular problems, nerve damage, kidney damage and others. The impact can be devastating.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high and Type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight.

According to the NHS, Type 2 accounts for between 85 and 95 per cent of all people with diabetes and is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition to this, medication and/or insulin are often required.

Diabetes UK is today (May 22) starting an eight-week ‘Food You Love’ advertising campaign, which will feature members of the public living with diabetes cooking the food most people love but in a healthier form.

The aim is to encourage people to eat more healthily, manage their weight and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

People can sign up for free recipe videos from today by visiting www.diabetes.org.uk/feelgood-food.

The charity says: “From Folake's fish and chips to Mick's apple strudel, you'll get a selection of savoury and sweet classics with a healthier twist.

“With a few vegetarian options and a variety of serving suggestions, our recipes should help you chop, stir and bake your way to a tasty and balanced diet.

“We have a range of chefs to talk you through their dishes and share their own experiences. Whether it's managing their own diabetes, cooking for large families or learning to cook for a child with diabetes, each chef has their own unique and interesting story to tell.

“We'll also send you some handy tips and advice every week to help you manage diabetes as a part of a healthy lifestyle. So let's get cooking.”

This campaign will be running throughout Diabetes Week, which takes place from Sunday June 11 to Saturday June 17.

The charity’s theme for Diabetes Week is Know Diabetes, Fight Diabetes. Diabetes UK regional media officer Emma Edwards said: “We are trying to raise awareness and understanding of it.” She is inviting people living with diabetes to get in touch and share their stories and tips on dealing with the condition. “It can inspire people because of what they are doing well and we’d also like to know about variations in care and if there are particular problem areas so we can support them.”

She pointed out that sharing stories can often inspire people without diabetes to make lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of developing Type 2.

“We often find a lot of people who have friends or a relative with Type 2, choose to make life style changes for themselves. Our sedentary life styles creep up on us. The best thing is to not have diabetes in the first place. With knowledge about diabetes and education, we can help ourselves.”

Anyone who would like to share their diabetes can email Emma at emma.edwards@diabetes.org.uk.

Factfile

There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. They’re different conditions, caused by different things.

About 10 per cent of people with diabetes have Type 1, which means they can’t produce insulin. Type 1 is not to do with being overweight and it’s not preventable.

People with Type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or the insulin they produce doesn’t work properly. One of the biggest risk factors for Type 2 is being overweight; age, ethnicity and family history can also have an impact.

To get involved and find out more about diabetes during Diabetes Week:

• Find out what your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes is use Diabetes UK’s popular online questionnaire by visiting https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start

• Sign up for a free Diabetes UK education course at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-education to polish up your knowledge

• Become a Diabetes UK volunteer by visiting https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Volunteer/?gclid=CKDh4_mF1tICFQcz0wodS3sGpQ and connect with others living with the condition

• Engage with us on Twitter during the week, using the hashtag #diabetesweek

• Take part in our big conversation about the future of diabetes, share your views about the future of diabetes care, support and prevention by taking a short online survey (more details will be available during Diabetes Week)

During Diabetes Week, you can help Diabetes UK fight the condition in lots of ways:

• Sign up for the 1 Million Step Challenge at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Fundraising-events/million-step/ and commit to raising funds over three months

• Campaign to fight diabetes by joining Diabetes Voices at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Campaigning/Diabetes-Voices/ to create positive change for people with and at risk of diabetes

• Play a vital role by taking part in a diabetes trial or study. Find out more at https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Research/Take-part-in-research/

For more information about diabetes visit www.diabetes.org.uk