Joined the programme in 2019
Manchester became the 21st city to join the global Cities for Better Health programme, as part of a joint working project developed and funded in collaboration between Health Innovation Manchester and Novo Nordisk and working alongside other local partners. The work in Cites Changing Diabetes Manchester to date has focused on engaging the community and conducting research to better establish the nature of the type 2 diabetes challenge within Greater Manchester.
Public health data shows that within the Greater Manchester region, around 7.4% of the population were recorded as living with diabetes in 2020/21, affecting almost 184,000 people1.
It is expected that over 25% of people living in the Greater Manchester area will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime,2 while over 61% of adults living within the Manchester city area are overweight or living with obesity.3
Within the UK, the number of people recorded as living with
diabetes has almost doubled over the past 15 years4
Key facts and figures
7.4%
of those aged over 17 in Greater Manchester were recorded as living with diabetes in 2020/211
61.7%
of adults were living with obesity in 2020/213
24.1%
of children in their first year at primary school were recorded as living with overweight or obesity in 2019/20
42%
of children in their last year at primary school were recorded as living with overweight or obesity in 2019/203
Greater Manchester’s Tackling Diabetes Together Strategy sets out the city region’s collective mission: To improve the lives of all people across Greater Manchester affected by diabetes or at risk of developing diabetes.
Using research methods established by the Cities for Better Health programme, the team in Manchester completed a Rule of Halves analysis and an Urban Diabetes Priority Assessment, to understand more about the challenge of type 2 diabetes within the Greater Manchester region.
A report summarising insights and findings from research and community engagement carried out as part of the Cities for Better Health Manchester programme has been produced. This highlights how local ethnic minority communities and younger people within Greater Manchester are affected by type 2 diabetes.
It is hoped the findings will provide useful insights to help inform the further development of the Greater Manchester diabetes strategy, including how those communities most affected by type 2 diabetes could be supported to manage their health by considering targeted interventions that will address their needs.
“We hope that the work undertaken during the Cities for Better Health programme will further support the health and care system in Greater Manchester, as well as our research partners, to collectively tackle type 2 diabetes and reduce its impact within the city region. We at Health Innovation Manchester are enthusiastic about how this work and ongoing collaborations can develop further innovations and research to support type 2 diabetes prevention and care, with a person-centred approach, within Greater Manchester.”
— Dr Tracey Vell, clinical director of Health Innovation Manchester
Report published mapping the challenge of type 2 diabetes in Greater Manchester
Office for Health Improvement & Disparities: Recorded diabetes: Public health profiles - OHID (phe.org.uk).
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). Tackling Diabetes Together. 2018. https://www.england.nhs.uk/north-west/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/2019/09/GM-Diabetes-Strategy-.docx.
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Obesity Profile, Percentage of adults (aged 18+) classified as overweight or obese. 2020/21. https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-programme/data#page/1/gid/1938133368/ati/302/iid/93881/age/168/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1
