More than 1000 people living in the South East of England with diabetes experience emotional or mental health problems as a result of their condition.

New research from Diabetes UK which survived 1340 people of different ages found that two-thirds of people in the South East living with diabetes experience emotional or mental health problems.

Alongside this, 30 per cent of respondents also said that diabetes got in the way of them or a family member doing things they wanted to do while only one in three (31 per cent) said they definitely felt in control of their diabetes.

Jill Steaton, Diabetes UK’s regional manager in the South East, said: "Living with diabetes can be exhausting and people tell us that they don’t want to give in to feelings of depression and anxiety.

"What they need instead is support to manage a serious health condition well and protect their emotional wellbeing and mental health."