One number tells you if you are at risk of diabetes without needle

People finding themselves more thirsty than usual are being warned it may not be just because of the warmer weather - it could be a sign of diabetes. As the UK marks Diabetes Awareness Week, GP Dr Neel Patel has given advice on the early signs and symptoms of diabetes to look out for.

According to Dr Patel, common illness symptoms, such as fatigue, thrush, or being thirsty, may be early warning signs for diabetes. Dr Patel also said different ethnic groups may be more at risk of developing the illness than others, including people with Black African, African Caribbean, or South Asian descent.

Dr Patel of LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor said: “There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where your body does not produce insulin. There is no way to prevent this type of diabetes and its exact cause is currently unknown. Type 2 diabetes is where your body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin you do produce does not function properly. This type of diabetes usually comes on in adulthood and can be affected by lifestyle choices as well as other factors.

“Diabetes sometimes goes undetected as some of the symptoms go unnoticed. However, it’s best to identify diabetes earlier so that you can avoid later complications or potentially avoid developing diabetes altogether.”

Diabetes symptoms include:

Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night

Being unusually thirsty

Feeling fatigued

Losing weight without trying to

Thrush or itchy genitals

Cuts taking longer to heal

Dr Patel said: “Generally, people who are overweight or obese are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Specifically, people with an unhealthy waistline measurement and those who store too much fat around their pancreas and liver