How a type 2 diabetes calculator is helping our volunteers learn about their health
Would you like to know your risk of developing type 2 diabetes within the next ten years?
Our Future Health volunteers who answer ‘yes’ to that question can use a simple online tool to find the answer.
The tool, which is provided by our affiliate partner Diabetes UK, asks 8 questions about your health, physical measurements and family background. The physical measurements are all provided at the end of an appointment with Our Future Health.
According to new data, in 2024 over 11,000 of our volunteers used the calculator after their appointment. One third were told that they had a ‘very high’ or ‘high’ risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next ten years. They were advised to speak to their GP practice. Diabetes UK also offered them a letter to take to the appointment.
A further 40% of people were told they have a medium risk of developing the condition over the same time period. 27% had a low risk.
Why it’s useful to know your risk
Type 2 diabetes is a condition that impacts the body’s ability to process sugar (glucose). It can lead to a number of severe health consequences, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and blindness.
“It’s heartening to know that people are using the diabetes calculator after their appointment with Our Future Health,” says Dr Iain Turnbull, our Deputy Chief Medical Officer and an NHS GP. “It’s a good way of learning about your health and potentially taking action.
“Type 2 diabetes is a condition that can develop slowly, over a number of years. GPs like me want to see people as early as possible – ideally long before they’ve begun to suffer from complications. That way, we can take action to help slow or even reverse the disease.
“The data shows that in 2024, over 500 Our Future Health volunteers have received a letter from Diabetes UK, to take to their doctor. That’s 500 people in high-risk categories who can be helped sooner than they otherwise might have been.”
The help can range from providing guidance on changes to diet and activity levels to starting medications. Patients at high risk may also be monitored regularly.
Iain says that the people who fall into lower risk categories can still benefit from knowing their risk score. “If you think about the 40% of volunteers in the ‘medium’ risk category, they’re people who can often benefit from small lifestyle changes, such as improvements in diet and exercise. Everyone’s risk increases over time, so it’s always better to make changes sooner rather than later.”
“The Diabetes UK tool offers some easy-to-follow advice over email for these people. It helps them take control of their health.”
Our Future Health and risk calculators
In the future, Our Future Health hopes to be able to enhance disease risk calculators, such as the one provided by Diabetes UK. The information our volunteers share could be used to find new ways to calculate risk – or improve the ones we already have.
“In diabetes, genetics is an interesting area,” says Iain. “The research community has taken big forward steps in terms of identifying the many genes that can impact someone’s risk of the disease.
“Researchers could use our volunteers’ data to learn even more about the interplay between genes and risk. For example, they might see a pattern that shows someone is at high risk of diabetes even though they have no family history or lifestyle issues. Or vice versa.
“This new genetic information, combined with information about other risk factors, could be used to better inform an individual about their risk of developing diabetes. It’s something we hope to offer our volunteers down the road.”
Let’s prevent disease together
By volunteering for Our Future Health, you can help health researchers discover new ways to prevent, detect and treat common conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s.