MEP calls for testing after charity reveals that 50,000 people in West Midlands may have diabetes without knowing it

3.59.01pm GMT Wed 11th Nov 2009

Liz Lynne MEP taking a diabetes test. Up to 50,000 people in the West Midlands may have this dangerous condition without knowing it.

Anyone who is at high risk of diabetes should have no hesitation in asking to be tested, says local MEP Liz Lynne in advance of World Diabetes Day on November 14th.

According to worrying research by the charity Diabetes UK there are already 255,405 people diagnosed with diabetes in the West Midlands region and around 50,000 more people who have the condition but are not yet aware of it or being treated.

The MEP is backing calls by the International Diabetes Federation for greater efforts to identify hidden sufferers of the potentially fatal condition, which develops when the body loses the ability to regulate glucose in the blood.

Diabetes has been linked to almost one in eight adult deaths in the West Midlands. The region's Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne this week took advantage of an exhibition in the European Parliament giving free diabetes tests to get tested herself and to back calls by health campaigners for a higher profile for diabetes prevention and treatment.

Liz Lynne said: "It is worrying that as many as 50,000 people in my region and 750,000 people in the UK may be living with type 2 diabetes without knowing it and this number is only set to increase.

"Diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease but with early diagnosis many of the more serious complications may be avoided.

"I would encourage anyone at risk to go ahead and take the latest diabetes test which as I saw myself today, is really simple, only takes a few minutes and could save their life.

"The traditional warning signs of type 2 diabetes are often missing or hard to detect, which makes a quick test even more important."

The NHS spends £1 million an hour treating diabetes related illnesses and complications.

World Diabetes Day takes place on the 14th November every year. The date was chosen because it marks the birthday of Frederick Banting, who along with Charles Best, is credited with the discovery of insulin, the main treatment for diabetes.

Events are taking place this week all over the UK and the rest of the European Union.

ENDS