WHEN Jacqui Bonfield was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, she admits she was initially in denial.

"I never had a sweet tooth so I couldn't understand why I got diabetes.Coming to terms with it was hard, but because I'd been so unwell before it was diagnosed I was glad I knew what it was," she recalls.

In addition to coping with the condition, Jacqui was also overweight. Working full-time as a senior probation officer, she says she found it difficult to slot in regular meals.

Conscious of her weight - at her heaviest she was 15 stone and wearing size 22/24 clothing - Jacqui knew she needed to do something about it - for the sake of her health.

"Looking back I was tired, overweight and had problem with my legs," she says.

Jacqui had tried diets without success but accompanying her neighbour to a Slimming World session changed her life - and has enabled her to take proper control of her diabetes just by overhauling her diet.

"I was injecting insulin four times a day. Now I'm only injecting twice a day and taking 28 units. I was taking 120 units of insulin a day," she explains.

It is four years since Jacqui, 65, joined Slimming World and she recalls her weight loss was gradual. "I was losing 3lb a week but I was sticking to the diet rigidly.

"I always thought I had a healthy diet because I used to come home and have lots of veg. I've never been one for fat and fried stuff but it educated me," says Jacqui, referring to how she now checks the fat content of everything she eats and boycotts processed foods in favour of making her own meals.

Eating healthily has been life changing for Jacqui, who has now achieved her 10 stone target.

She also credits the support she received from her Slimming World consultant, Ros Tonks, and fellow members.

"The more weight I lost the more confident I got. I can walk better because I don't have all that weight on my legs, my knees are a lot better and I have hardly any trouble with my back at all and I've got a busy social life," she adds.

Losing weight has also enabled Jacqui to manage her diabetes. "You can completely ignore it and become poorly or you can take control of it," she says. "I see it as a condition, not an illness, and I still have things I want. If I want a piece of chocolate I will have a piece instead of a bar of chocolate."

Now Jacqui hopes her story will inspire others who may have made a New Year's resolution to lose weight.

Ros Tonks runs sessions from 5 until 7pm on Thursdays at St Aidan's Church, Crossflatts, says: "Jacqui weighed 15 stone 6 lbs, and now weighs 10 stone 13lbs. She reached her target weight just before Christmas but has now decided she'd like to lose just a little more."

Ros guides and supports many members with health issues such as diabetes. "We have booklets as an extra guide but always always make sure they are being closely watched by their Diabetic nurse and GP on their progress."

* According to study in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, the reduction in sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juices, over five years could lead to 500,000 fewer cases of people being overweight, one million fewer cases of obesity and 300,000 fewer instances of Type 2 diabetes, over two decades.

In 2014 the World Health Organisation said people should cut their sugar intake in half if they wanted health benefits. It said sugars should make up less than five per cent of total energy intake per day for adults and children.