DIABETES UK has so far invested £4.7 million funding specialist research into how the condition affects Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) peoples, according to new data released by the charity to mark Black History Month this October.

Research is vital as the condition develops and progresses in different ways for people of different ethnicities. For example, Black people are two to four times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than White Europeans.

Diabetes UK provided the initial funding for the Southall and Brent Revisited (SABRE) study monitoring the health of 4,200 Londoners.

It revealed around half of people with African or South Asian heritage will have Type 2 diabetes by the age of 80, compared to around one in five White Europeans.

The SABRE study is ongoing, and has helped establish that Black people should be screened for Type 2 diabetes at a younger age than others.

Diabetes UK engaging communities manager, Krishna Sarda, said: “While research helps to find solutions for the future, there are steps all of us should be taking now to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, or to manage the condition more effectively if you already have it.

“Our Community Champions go out to engage with people who have the highest risks of developing Type 2 diabetes, explaining what it is, who is at risk, signs and symptoms, myths and misconceptions, complications and NHS services.”

The charity has supported 41 BAME research projects across the UK, with more than £3.6 million spent in the last decade alone.

Diabetes UK director of research, Dr Elizabeth Robertson, said: “Some of us are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, so our research aims to find out why that it is and what we can do about it.

“We’re building on the results of remarkable research that has already been supported by Diabetes UK.”

Current research includes a project at King’s College London, looking at how the biology underlying the development of Type 2 diabetes can differ in people from different ethnic groups.

In the future, this information could help to tailor therapies that can prevent or treat Type 2 diabetes to those who will benefit most.

Dr Louise Goff, the lead investigator on the project at Kings College London, said: “Type 2 diabetes is less closely linked to levels of fat around the waist and high blood cholesterol for Black African people than for White European people.

“Finding out more about what causes Type 2 diabetes is essential, so we can use the right strategies to prevent the condition from developing.”

Recently Diabetes UK asked people with Type 2 diabetes and healthcare professionals to submit questions and concerns about Type 2 diabetes research, which will guide the charity’s top ten priorities for funding in the future.

Nearly 1 in 4 of the responses are from people of BAME backgrounds, to ensure future research work reflects the needs of everyone with Type 2 diabetes.

For more information on the research Diabetes UK funds, visit: www.diabetes.org.uk/research.

Find out more about Diabetes UK community champions at:  www.diabetes.org.uk/Community-champions.