Record numbers of people were diagnosed with diabetes last year: Research chief calls development alarming.

In 2023, a record number of Danish people were diagnosed with diabetes.

Precisely, 25,557 Danes received the diagnosis - and the vast majority of them had type 2 diabetes.

"It's a scary development," says research chief at the Diabetes Association Tanja Thybo.

Tanja Thybo is the research chief at the Diabetes Association. She calls the development scary. (Photo: © Ritzau Scanpix)

- It's unfortunately also an expected development, as it's mainly driven by the increasing number of people with type 2 diabetes.

- The risk increases with age, and there are more and more elderly people, so it's not surprising, she says.

The number of newly diagnosed cases has continued to set records in recent years, and according to the Diabetes Association, the concerning development is set to continue.

- We're likely to set a new record next year, as we see this increase, and we have a prediction that in 2030, there will be 467,000 people with diabetes in Denmark.

According to the Diabetes Association, at least 360,000 Danes have diabetes today, which corresponds to six percent of the population.

The Diabetes Association estimates that around 100,000 Danes are walking around with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes and that around 500,000 Danes have pre-diabetes.

------------------------------

How Type 1 Diabetes Works

------------------------------

In contrast to type 2 diabetes, which often develops later in life due to lifestyle, most people with type 1 diabetes are diagnosed before they turn 20.

If you have type 1 diabetes, your immune system has destroyed a number of cells in your pancreas - called beta cells - which produce the hormone insulin, which helps sugar from your blood into your cells.

Without sugar, your cells have no fuel and end up dying.

People with type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, can still produce insulin, but their bodies have a harder time using it to transport sugar into the cells.

People with type 2 diabetes can often manage well without insulin injections into their bodies - especially at the beginning of their disease - but type 1 diabetics are completely dependent on getting their life-saving insulin.

---------------------

Increase Among the Elderly

---------------------

In total, 24,670 Danes were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and the increase in numbers is mainly due to the larger group of elderly, explains Tanja Thybo.

> Diabetes can affect anyone, and you can't do anything to prevent it 100 percent.

> Tanja Thybo, research chief, Diabetes Association

- It's just a disease that comes with age, and it's as if you become worse at regulating your blood sugar with age, says Tanja Thybo.

When someone is diagnosed with this form of diabetes, there are essentially three things that play a role.

One is heredity, the second is age, and the third is weight.

- Diabetes can affect anyone, and you can't prevent it 100 percent.

- But you can find out if you're at risk, and if you are, you might want to look at moving more and adjusting your diet to minimize that risk, says Tanja Thybo.

In addition, you should keep an eye out for symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

They can include unexplained fatigue, thirst, frequent urination, and unintended weight loss.

----------------------------

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

----------------------------

- Fatigue - unexplained tiredness, malaise, poor general health condition.

- Thirst.

- Frequent urination.

- Unexplained weight loss.

- Vision problems.

- Pain in the genital area.

- Skin and mucous membrane infections.

- Slow healing of wounds.

Source: Diabetes Association

According to Tanja Thybo, the symptoms usually come on gradually and can be subtle. The association also estimates that many are either in a pre-diabetes stage or have the disease without being aware of it.

But it can pay off to be aware of whether you might have diabetes, as having it also increases the risk of developing related conditions.

These can include heart disease, eye diseases, nerve diseases, nerve inflammation, and kidney diseases.

- It's some rather unpleasant comorbidities that a third already have when they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, says Tanja Thybo.

Warning: This article was translated by a Large Language Model, in case of doubt, you can always visit the original source.