DIABETES IN ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES

That this House welcomes a recent survey conducted to test for the development of diabetes amongst certain ethnic groups; notes that from a sampled group of 4,200 people of Asian, African and Caribbean descent, 50 per cent of those tested had developed Type 2 diabetes by the age of 80; further notes that 80 per cent of Type 2 diabetes is preventable with the right care and management, including lifestyle choices and exercise; recognises the extensive body of medical research that acknowledges the propensity of members of ethnic minority communities to develop diabetes; and calls on the Government to invest in community-led diabetes education programmes to avoid potential complications such as heart disease, blindness and amputation.