'Healthier You: the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme' will start this year with a first wave of 27 areas covering 26 million people, half of the population, and making up to 20,000 places available.
This will rollout to the whole country by 2020 with an expected 100,000 referrals available each year after.
Simon Stevens NHS England’s CEO, said: “Around 500 people every day find out they’ve got Type 2 diabetes – a serious but often preventable health condition.
“By offering targeted support for at-risk individuals, the NHS is now playing our part in the wider campaign against obesity, which is already costing the country more than we spend on the police and fire service combined.
“The benefits for patients will show up as hospitalisations prevented, strokes avoided and amputations averted. This programme is a reminder that the ‘H’ in NHS stands for health.”
Those referred will get tailored, personalised help to reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes including education on healthy eating and lifestyle, help to lose weight and bespoke physical exercise programmes, all of which together have been proven to reduce the risk of developing the disease, according to the NHS.
There are currently 2.6 million people with Type 2 diabetes in England with around 200,000 new diagnoses every year.
'Healthier You: the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme' is run collaboratively by NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK.