Shockingly, according to Diabetes UK, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has risen by more than 145 000 in the last year. Latest data from GP surgeries shows that there are now more than 2.6 million people with diabetes in the UK, coupled with a staggering 5.2 million patients now regostered as obese. In basic terms, obesity now affects almost 9 percent of the UK population, and this is just the known cases.
The link between diabetes and obesity and the impact on the heart is well enough documented that most people should understand the risks, but the link between obesity, diabetes and very serious complications such as risk of lower limb amputation, severe eyesight problems and kidney damage may be less well known.
While ultimately patients need to help themselves by keepingtheir diabetes under control with sensible eating and exercise, how can device companies operating in diabetes help beyond improving tools such metering and pumps?
CMR believes there is room for further help with improving education to reinforce messages about these very grave risks, and to help patients to further manage their diabetes to bring it under control and reduce the chances of serious illness.
Diabetes UK also highlighted that almost 90% of people with diabetes in the UK have never received structured diabetes education, which is the key to improved self-management of the condition. In the USA, a recent medicare study also highlighted the importance of diabetes education in reducing health care costs.
Seems to us that there is an opportunity here for vendors to both aid patients and health care systems whilst building valuable brand perception.
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