TODAY is World Diabetes Day and research by a leading charity suggests there may be as many as 100,000 people in the region who are unaware they have the condition.

In a bid to raise awareness Olympic rower Sir Steven Redgrave, Diabetes UK’s honorary Vice President, is urging people across the region to go online and take a free Risk Score test.

Type 2 diabetes can go undetected for up to ten years and around half of people already show signs of complications by the time they are diagnosed.

Early diagnosis and effective management of the condition are crucial in reducing the risk of developing life-changing complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.

Sir Steve said: “The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the South-West has increased by more than 11,000 to 224,413 in the past year and shocking new estimates suggest there are around 100,000 people who have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

“I discovered I had Type 2 diabetes at the height of my rowing career and know first hand how the condition can dramatically change your life.

“But once diagnosed and under control, diabetes should never stop you from achieving anything you want – my gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games is proof of that.”

The main risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes are being overweight or having a large waist, being over 40 (or over 25 in Black and South Asian people) and having a close relative with diabetes.

The symptoms of diabetes include going to the toilet (urinating) more often and especially at night, increased thirst, extreme tiredness, unexplained weight loss, genital itching or regular episodes of thrush, slow healing of cuts and wounds and blurred vision.

Visit www.diabetes.org.uk/riskscore to take the free test to determine your risk of Type 2 diabetes.