Diabetes UK waist size survey

According to reports in the diabetes news this morning, a Diabetes UK study has found that most people underestimate the size of their waists . On average, the survey found, men in the UK believe that they are some three inches more slim than they actually are. The finding could have a big impact on diabetes development, as people place themselves outside the risk category.
The survey investigated over 500 people, and found that men were the most delusional when it came to waist size. Type 2 diabetes is inextricably linked to waist size, with some 80 per cent of type 2 diabetics overweight at time of diagnosis.
The study was conducted by a research team at Leicester University . The Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, Douglas Smallwood, was reported in the diabetes news as commenting: “Measuring up is a reality check, the first step to recognising that you may not be as well as you feel. To believe that you are more than three inches slimmer than you are is to ignore a clear warning of a risk of diabetes. It can take years for symptoms of diabetes to emerge so simple indicators like waist size are important signals. There are up to 750,000 people in this country who have diabetes but are not yet diagnosed.”