A British health report has warned that adults with a large waistline are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

In its report, the Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency of Britain’s Department of Health, said they encourage people to monitor their waistline and assess risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

According to the report, men having a large waist circumference of over 102cm (40 inches)are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Women with a large waist circumference of over 88cm (34.6 inches) are three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, Xinhua reported.

Currently 90 percent of the adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, and the prevalence of both obesity and diabetes are on the increase, said PHE experts.

Being overweight or obese is the main avoidable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, they added.

According to Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, type 2 diabetes is a very serious public health issue which can have significant consequences, such as limb amputations or blindness.

The key to reducing your chances of type 2 diabetes is losing weight which can be achieved through a healthy diet and being more active, she added.

The report also revealed that deprivation is closely linked to the risk of both — obesity and diabetes in Britain, with type 2 diabetes being 40 percent more common among people in the poorest communities compared to the rich ones.

BDST: 1849 HRS, Aug-09, 2014