Obesity could drive the number of people suffering from diabetes in Northern Ireland up by nearly 50 per cent by 2025, new figures claim today.
There are currently over 62,000 people diagnosed with the condition in the North, and an estimated 15,000-20,000 who have it but are unaware of this.
A study by health charity Diabetes UK Northern Ireland predicts that in line with the rest of the UK numbers may rise by 46 per cent over the next 17 years, meaning there would be over 112,000 sufferers in Northern Ireland.
Most of the increase locally will be due to rising numbers of overweight or obese people - 80 per cent of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are overweight at the time of diagnosis, said the charity.
It warned: ¿The increase will have major consequences on the general health of Northern Ireland as diabetes is a series condition that can lead to devastating complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and amputation."
Iain Foster, director of Diabetes UK Northern Ireland, said: ¿These new figures are shocking and confirm that diabetes is one of the main health challenges facing Northern Ireland today.
PA