THE "epidemic" of diabetes in Wales is continuing to grow, according to charity Diabetes UK Cymru.

Around 160,000 people in the country suffer from diabetes, with an estimated 66,000 unaware they have the condition.

And each year another 7,000 people are diagnosed.

The charity estimates there will be 300,000 people with diabetes in Wales by 2030, and has warned treating sufferers takes up 10 per cent of the NHS budget in Wales each year.

Most of the cost occurs due to the complications of the condition like heart and kidney disease, amputations and blindness.

Dai Williams, director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said: "This trek towards a diabetised society is not inevitable.

"If we put our efforts into delaying the onset of diabetes, or actually preventing large swathes of Type 2 cases, the investment would yield massive returns — both financially and in terms of healthy lives lived to the full.

"The choice is plain — when the bathwater is overflowing, do you start bailing out the water or do you turn off the taps?

"Continually reacting and dealing with the consequences of diabetes is surely a short-sighted and outdated medical model. Arguably, Type 2 diabetes is a long-term, chronic condition which is a product of 21st-century lifestyles. It needs a social model to address it."

Mr Williams called on the Welsh Government to address the increasing levels of diabetes in the country.

He said: "It is of great concern that the Welsh Government has a limited ability to assess the scale of the diabetes problem and respond accordingly.

"NHS Wales's information systems lag behind other parts of the UK. Its ability to participate in the annual National Diabetes Audit is compromised because it is unable to record and report what is happening for people with diabetes in secondary care. There is simply no system in place. How do we know where our services are working, and how best to allocate funds effectively? We don't.

"The current situation looks precarious and I'm afraid the response from Government has been underwhelming."