Diabetes and COVID-19: Diseases of racial, social and glucose intolerance

Table 1 Common risk factors for diabetes and adverse outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019

Common risk factors
Hypertension
Obesity
Glucose intolerance
Non-White ethnicity
Lower socioeconomic status
Cancer
Chronic kidney disease

Table 2 Potential interventions to reduce health inequality and rate of diabetes increase

Potential interventions
National programmes to improve the nation’s health focus on improved diet and physical activity
Green solutions to transport/energy
“Fat/Sugar tax” and use funds to subsidise healthy food
Reduce licensing of unhealthy eating places in poorer areas
Minimum alcohol unit pricing
Tackle advertising of calorie dense foods to children and prevent sponsorship of sports by unhealthy food companies
Education for children to increase physical activity in and improve knowledge of healthy living in schools
Improve culturally appropriate interventions to educate people living with long term conditions