Many people with prediabetes are overweight or obese at diagnosis and 90 per cent will either have a family history of prediabetes or have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Crucially, prediabetes can often be reversed and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes reduced by 60 per cent with simple lifestyle changes such as losing just a moderate amount of weight, adopting a healthy, balanced diet and increasing physical activity levels.

Diabetes UK is today launching its Get Serious campaign, which aims to get as many people as possible to join Diabetes UK in the fight against diabetes, which is one of Wales’, and the rest of the UK’s, biggest health challenges.

The charity is asking people to sign up to the campaign and show their support by pledging to make healthy lifestyle changes, fundraising, campaigning or volunteering.

Diabetes UK Cymru’s National Director Dai Williams said: “It’s staggering that around 22,000 people in Bridgend alone have prediabetes, which is often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.

“Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition which can lead to long term complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation and blindness.

“Identifying and educating people with prediabetes is vital as it’s not too late for many to make healthy lifestyle changes, reverse the condition completely and reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

“Recent figures show that there are now nearly 8,000 people diagnosed with diabetes in Bridgend with 90 per cent of those people having Type 2 diabetes.

“It’s time for all of us to get serious about our health if we want to have any chance of defusing the ticking time-bomb of Type 2 diabetes in Wales.”

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly.

Symptoms of the condition include excessive thirst, blurred vision, extreme tiredness, going to toilet to pass urine frequently (particularly at night) and genital itching.

To help identify people at risk of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes in Wales, Diabetes UK Cymru would like similar health checks to those introduced in England established in Wales.

In England, the Government’s NHS Health Checks programme aims to assess and manage vascular risk and identify people at risk of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes as part of its commitment to ‘Putting Prevention First’.

Diabetes UK Cymru also recommends healthcare professionals to communicate in a clear and consistent manner to minimise misunderstandings.

The seriousness of prediabetes needs to be highlighted along with its potential risks and how those affected can prevent progression to Type 2 diabetes.

If you are white and over 40 years old, or if you’re black or South Asian and over 25 years old, and have one or more of the following risk factors, then you may be at risk of prediabetes:

• A close member of your family has Type 2 diabetes (parent or sibling)
• You’re overweight or your waist is 31.5 inches or more for women; 37 inches or more for men, but 35 inches or more for South Asian men
• You have high blood pressure or you’ve had a heart attack or a stroke
• You’re a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome and you are overweight
• You’re a woman and you’ve had gestational diabetes
• You have severe mental health problems.

The more risk factors that apply, the greater the risk of prediabetes.

If a person has one or more of these risk factors Diabetes UK recommends they consult their GP or healthcare team.

The progression from prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes may be up to two to three times greater in South Asians compared to white people.

In the US prediabetes affects more than 56 million people, around 18 per cent of the population compared to around 15 per cent in the UK.

To sign up to the Get Serious campaign, text SERIOUS to 84383 or visit www.diabetes.org.uk/GetSerious

For more information about diabetes and becoming a member of Diabetes UK, call Diabetes UK Cymru on 029 2066 8276 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .