THOSE at risk of developing diabetes have been invited onto a course aimed at stopping them developing the condition.

Experts suggest that up to 20,000 adults in Swindon are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to poor diet and lack of exercise. Those on the verge of becoming diabetic are being invited to take part in the Healthier You: Diabetes Prevention Programme.

The nine month programme is aimed at encouraging people to eat well and exercise more. It hopes to reverse the early signs of diabetes.

More than 1,500 people across Swindon have been invited to take part in the programme but, as of March 2019, around a third of invitations have either been ignored or discarded.

Dr Ayoola Oyinloye, consultant in public health medicine, said: “It is extremely worrying that so many people are choosing to ignore this offer of free help.

“Type two diabetes is preventable, and this programme gives people most at risk the power to take back control of their own health and make the changes that could add years to their life."

For more, speak to your GP.