The United Kingdom is falling behind other high-income countries in diagnosing diabetes, according to a new study. Researchers found that only 74.2% of people with diabetes in the UK have been diagnosed, compared to an average of 79.5% across high-income nations.
In Canada, 86% of cases are diagnosed, while the US rate stands at 82.8%. Among western European countries, only Switzerland and France have lower diagnosis rates than the UK. The study, led by academics at the University of Washington, estimated that in 2023, 77.5% of patients aged 15 and over in western Europe had received a diagnosis.
Globally, 55.8% of people living with diabetes were diagnosed, with 91.4% of those diagnosed receiving treatment. However, only 41.6% of treated patients achieved glycaemic control. In the UK, 88.5% of diagnosed individuals received treatment, but just 36.2% had controlled blood sugar levels.
Nikki Joule, policy manager at Diabetes UK, said: “Despite improvements over the last 20 years, underdiagnosis of type 2 diabetes remains a major challenge in the UK, particularly in young people. Because symptoms can be subtle and slow to develop, type 2 diabetes can remain hidden for years.” She added that without timely diagnosis, dangerously high blood sugar levels increase the risk of serious complications.
