New figures reveal that more than one in nine deaths among 20 to 79-year-olds in the region can be attributed to diabetes, health charity Diabetes UK warned today.

And the Bradford district has the highest percentage of deaths in the Yorkshire and Humber region which can be attributed to diabetes – 13.22 per cent of all deaths of people aged 20 to 79.

The figures are based on data that shows adults under 80 with diabetes are around twice as likely to die as those without the condition and women with diabetes have a greater increased risk of death compared to their male counterparts.

Linda Wood, Diabetes UK Northern and Yorkshire regional manager, said: “These new figures are truly alarming and confirm that diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing the UK today. “There are already 200,000 people diagnosed with diabetes in Yorkshire and Humber and around 55,000 people who have the condition but are not aware of it.

“Good self-management, awareness, and improved access to specialist diabetes care services are crucial if we are to curb this growing health crisis and see a reduction in the number of people dying from diabetes and complications attributed to the condition.”

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) with the highest percentage of diabetes-attributable deaths are areas with a higher than average proportion of the population under 40 and where there are large numbers of over 40s of Asian and black origin, who are at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. These areas also have high levels of deprivation compared to PCTs with the lowest proportion of deaths.

The percentage of diabetes-attributable deaths varied at PCT level in Yorkshire and Humber from 10.42 per cent in North Yorkshire and York to 13.22 per cent in Bradford and Airedale.

Diabetes can be fatal in a number of ways. Around 80 per cent of people with the condition die of cardio-vascular disease (CVD). For information and help with managing the condition visit diabetes.org.uk.