Diabetes Jump Linked To Unhealthy Lifestyles

The bulk of the fresh cases are type 2 diabetes -- which is linked to overweight or obese people, the journal reported.

Cases of diabetes are soaring in Britain, according to new research, with medical experts linking the rise to higher obesity rates caused by unhealthy diets and lack of exercise.

The number of people newly diagnosed jumped 74 percent between 1997 and 2003, according to the research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health on Tuesday.

The overall incidence of diabetes increased from 2.8 percent of the population in 1996 to 4.3 percent in 2005.

Most fresh cases are Type 2 diabetes -- which is linked to excess weight or obesety, the journal reported, citing research led by experts in Spain and Sweden.

The Department of Health said the increase is partly the result of ageing population and better detection rates.

It noted the government had launched two initiatives last year to catch the illness at an early stage.

Charity Diabetes UK said the figures show the government is now spending around 1 million pounds an hour, 10 percent of the NHS's annual budget, to tackle the condition.

It had seen a huge rise in cases related to child obesity.

"We are seeing children as young as seven who are linked to Type 2 diabetes, which is a situation unheard of before and is down to the weight gain," said a spokesman for the charity.

Douglas Smallwood, its chief executive, added: "This research is a sad indictment of the current state of the UK's health.

"It is imperative that we raise awareness of the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet and doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day if we want to make any headway in defusing the diabetes time bomb."

All data in the new research relates to people between the ages of 10 and 79. The prevalence of the disease was 29 percent higher among men than women.