TENS of thousands of people across Gwent may have prediabetes - a patient-friendly term for a condition that unless tackled could lead to the development of full-blown Type Two diabetes.

Now UK experts are hoping to raise awareness of the condition among the general population, to encourage those at risk to seek medical help early.

Impaired Glucose Regulation (IGR) is the technical term for prediabetes, sufferers of which are up to 15 times more likely to develop Type Two diabetes, according to a new Diabetes UK report.

It also estimates that around one-in-seven of the population may already have the condition or linked symptoms, equivalent to some 85,000 people in Gwent alone.

Many people with prediabetes are overweight or obese at diagnosis, and 90 per cent will have either a family history of prediabetes or have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Type Two diabetes can cause long term complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation and blindness.

But the charity’s report Prediabetes - Preventing The Type Two Diabetes Epidemic, stresses that prediabetes can often be reversed and the risk of developing Type Two diabetes reduced by 60 per cent through simple lifestyle changes such as losing a moderate amount of weight, adopting a healthy, balanced diet, and increasing physical activity.

The use of term prediabetes, rather than IGR, is considered a key part of the strategy to raise awareness of the dangers.

“Identifying and educating people with prediabetes is vital, as it’s not too late for many to make healthy lifestyle changes,” said Dai Williams, national director of Diabetes UK Cymru.

Ian Powell, 59, from Marshfield, a Diabetes UK Cymru trustee, and Type Two patient, welcomed the launch of the charity’s Get Serious campaign to raise awareness, which follows the report’s publication.

“The more people who are made aware of prediabetes, the better,” he said.

“Prediabetes is a much better term for the general population in terms of recognition and underdstanding.

Just as there are many people out there who do not know they have diabetes, so there are no doubt large numbers who do not spot the signs of prediabetes.”

* For more information on the report, the campaign, the symptoms and risk factors for prediabetes, visit www.diabetes,org.uk/GetSerious