The authors of a paper published in the September issue of Diabetes Care sound the alarm - if patients with diabetes experience depression, they are much less able to manage their diabetes diet, exercise and medication than patients without depression. They are more likely to be obese as a result, their diabetes is less well controlled, they are more likely to experience diabetes complications and are more likely to need specialist medical help.

One in eight people with diabetes suffers from major depression.

A study of 4 463 people with type 2 diabetes, 12% of whom suffered from depression.