Yesterday’s shocking news that the rate of prediabetes has trebled in the last eight years, and that a third of us now have prediabetes and are at high risk of developing full blown Type 2 diabetes, should act as a wake-up call for all of us.

There are now 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes, and diabetes costs the NHS £10bn per year to treat – that is 10 per cent of the entire NHS budget. This massive hike in the numbers of us at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years means not only a tragic increase in the number of diabetes-related deaths, many more people developing devastating health complications such as blindness and kidney failure, and heartache for families across the nation.

But it also means that the impact on the NHS will be potentially disastrous, with pressure on beds and hospitals. Currently one bed in six in hospitals is occupied by someone with diabetes, and that is set to rocket on the basis of these latest figures. That impact will be repeated in primary care and, inevitably, on budgets. This is unsustainable for the rest of NHS users who will face stiffer competition for hard-pressed services, for taxpayers and for political parties, whichever party or parties are in power.

But while we are facing this train crash, this rise need not be inevitable. Eighty per cent of cases of Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by lifestyle changes, obesity reduction and more activity.

First, we need to make sure those at high risk of Type 2 are identified and made aware of their risk and, importantly, that they can access the advice and support they need to make the lifestyle changes that can help prevent it.

The NHS Health Check programme is vital in finding those with prediabetes to identify and engage with those at high risk, but less than half of the eligible population received a check last year. We want Labour to commit to ensuring Public Health England’s vision of at least 75 per cent uptake across the country is achieved and that people from the highest risk backgrounds, such as those from the south Asian community, are receiving checks.

People identified as being at high risk need to be prescribed the effective and attractive  support they need to take swift action on lifestyle, including advice and support on weight reduction, activity and healthy, risk-reducing diet. GPs and local authority prevention services need to give people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes the sustained support they need to make these kind of changes for the long term.

However, identifying and targeting those at high risk will not be enough. There is now a need to urgently review the strategy for tackling the underlying causes of Type 2 diabetes and obesity and we want to see Labour’s public health platform reflect this.

The voluntary approaches to regulation of the food industry, through the Responsibility Deal, for example, are just not working. ‘Wicked’ problems like the obesity challenge commonly require every tool in the toolkit to be deployed to make an impact. The government must now consider regulation to drive reformulation and introduce restrictions on the marketing and distribution of unhealthy food. Also, more needs to be done in schools to educate children about healthy eating and to promote healthy choices as a normal part of everyday life. This is why we need to see free school meals and mandatory food and nutrient-based standards for all school food.

Of course, tackling the obesity crisis will not be easy, and doing these things will inevitably lead to accusations of nannying. But, given the size of the tidal wave heading towards the NHS and families across the UK, we need to use economic and regulatory solutions as well as voluntary one, and the provision of information to nudge choices. Everyone agrees the causes of the obesity crisis are socioeconomic – it stands to reason that the solution needs to be, too.

Put together, these things could form a platform of policies that would have huge potential to demonstrate a government willing to step up to the challenge on behalf of us all.

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Barbara Young is chief executive of Diabetes UK. She tweets @youngb48

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Photo: Dennis Skley