Report proves need for diabetes checks

SELDOM has there been more telling proof of the need for Irish people to have regular checks for diabetes than yesterday’s VHI report showing a higher rate of both pre-diabetes and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes here than in European countries such as Britain and Holland.

Diabetes develops when sugar is not properly absorbed by the body. If not treated, it can lead to heart disease, strokes, kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, and birth defects in babies born to women with diabetes. Sadly, Ireland’s amputation rate is also high.

With some 220,000 Irish people having the condition, the key message of this valuable report lies in demonstrating how important it is for individuals to understand and manage their own health risks. It also underlines that preventing the condition could result in saving over €1bn.