CASES of diabetes in Dorset have soared, figures show - with obesity being the greatest risk of people developing the condition.
Statistics from charity New Diabetes UK show diagnoses of the metabolic disease, a serious condition where blood glucose levels are too high, has increased in Dorset by nearly 2,000 - from 44,177 to 45,992 since last year.
The charity’s figures show that over 4.9 million people are currently living with diabetes in the UK, with 90 per cent of those with type 2.
However, research has shown that for some people, combined lifestyle interventions - including diet, physical activity and sustained weight loss - can be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 50 per cent.