There are two types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin. It usually appears before the age of 40. Type 1 diabetes is the least common of the two main types, and accounts for between five to 15 per cent of all people with the condition.

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 (known as insulin resistance). In most cases this is linked with being overweight.

This type of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though in South Asian and African-Caribbean people it often appears after the age of 25. Recently, more children are being diagnosed with the condition, some as young as seven.

There are currently more than 2.3 million people with diabetes in the UK and a further half a million who have the condition and don't know it.

In The South West there are 190,000 people diagnosed with diabetes and around a further 60,000 who have the condition but are not aware of it.

Diabetes can be fatal in a number of ways. Around 80 per cent of people with the condition die of cardiovascular disease (CVD). High blood glucose levels can cause damage to blood vessels, which can result in a stroke or heart attack.

Diabetes is also the main cause of end stage renal failure (ESRF) – an irreversible decline in kidney function.

The Diabetes UK Careline, 0845 120 2960, offers information and support on any aspect of managing diabetes.

It is a lo-call number and opens Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm

Alternatively, visit