The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in Cornwall has reached 30,471, according to new analysis released by Diabetes UK.

The new figures show that the number of people who have been diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in the county has increased by 1,177 since last year, when 29,294 were recorded as living with the condition.

In Cornwall, 6.49 per cent of the population now have diabetes. The national average is currently 6.6 per cent.

In the UK overall, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled in the last 20 years. The new figures show that there are now almost 3.7 million people diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in the UK, an increase of 1.9 million since 1998.

Diabetes UK is calling on the Government to take further action to tackle childhood obesity, by introducing stricter restrictions both on junk food advertising to children, and supermarket price promotions for unhealthy foods.

The charity also underlines the need for people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes to be identified and referred to the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which supports people to make changes that could prevent the onset of the condition.