The charity is urging diabetes prevention measures

The warning comes as a fresh drive was launched to raise awareness of the condition.

Diabetes UK claim that the number of people in the country contracting the illness is doubling every decade.

With 13,000 people in the UK developing the condition every year, the charity said that almost 370,000 will be diabetic by 2010, compared with 240,000 at the turn of the century.

In Scotland, 150,000 people are diagnosed with the illness - but the charity say that a further 90,000 have the condition but do not know it.

The impact of diabetes is enormous to people with the condition and their families and to the NHS Audrey Birt, Diabetes UK

At the start of Diabetes Week, Audrey Birt, the national manager for the charity north of the border, warned of the dangers posed by the illness.

And she called on the Scottish Executive to take steps to lessen its impact in the years ahead.

She said: "The impact of diabetes is enormous to people with the condition and their families and to the NHS.

"Diabetes is the biggest cause of adult blindness in this country and is linked to premature deaths from heart disease.

"It is also estimated that diabetes takes up almost 10% of the total budget of the NHS."

Ms Birt added: "We are calling on the Scottish Executive to ensure an integrated approach is forged which ensures that prevention is tackled and at the same time high quality and accessible diagnosis and care is provided to people who have the condition."

Diabetes Week runs until 14 June and will feature a number of awareness-raising events across the country.