PEOPLE across the Keighley district are being urged to check their risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Regional health chiefs warn that if left untreated, the condition can lead to serious complications – including loss of eyesight, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and kidney and foot problems.

People can use a Diabetes UK online tool, at riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start, to assess their risk.

Dr Hamish McLure, NHS regional medical director, says anyone found to be in increased danger of developing the condition can help prevent it by making various lifestyle changes.

He issued the message to coincide with Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week.

Dr McLure said: "Type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest healthcare challenges of our time, but the good news is people can prevent it by eating a healthy, balanced diet; maintaining a healthy weight and keeping physically active.

"There are certain factors which increase a person’s risk – including age, excess weight, high blood pressure, those with a family history of Type 2 diabetes, and ethnicity.

"Many people who have it are unaware, as they display few or no symptoms.

"I would encourage people to find out their risk of Type 2 diabetes by using the Diabetes UK 'Know Your Risk' tool. It only takes a few minutes, and if someone is at moderate to high risk, the tool will advise them to contact their GP practice for a blood test."

Anybody whose blood sugar levels show they are at risk of developing the condition may be eligible for referral to a Healthier You NHS diabetes prevention programme.

"This evidence-based programme helps people reduce their risk through lifestyle changes – including eating more healthily and being more physically active," Dr McLure adds.

"Research shows that the programme has reduced new diagnoses of Type 2 diabetes in England, saving thousands of people from the potentially serious consequences of the condition. For people completing the programme, it cuts the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 37 per cent. Contact your GP practice for further information."

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week is an annual initiative, staged by NHS England and Diabetes UK.

According to the campaign, an estimated four million-plus people in the UK are living with Type 2 diabetes – and millions more are at risk of developing the condition, including an increasing number aged under 40.

For more about the condition and the work of Diabetes UK, visit diabetes.org.uk