Hong Kong chef Cheung Kin-wai discovered he had diabetes when he nicked his finger at work a few years ago.

"The wound didn't heal and I had to undergo surgery at once because the bacteria had gone right into my bones. I was confirmed with diabetes," said Cheung, 51.

It's not just Cheung's age group that is at risk. Diabetes, for which there is no cure, is striking at more younger people.

In Japan, type 2 diabetes among junior high school students doubled to 13.9 per every 100,000 in that age group in 1991-1995 from 7.3 in 1976-1980.

Diabetes is best controlled and managed with drugs, exercise and a proper diet to avoid serious complications such as heart disease and strokes, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney and nerve damage, infections and gum disease.

Type 2 diabetes is also harder to manage over time and drug compliance is vital.

In Britain, doctors are seeing a steep rise in diabetes sufferers among Asians, especially of Indian and Pakistani origin.

According to Boardman of Warwick Hospital, one in four Asians aged over 40 in Britain will get diabetes and 40 percent of people of Pakistani origin in Britain will contract the disease.

"Asian communities are looking at a huge epidemic coming along as these communities become affluent and have enough to eat and are too busy working to exercise," said Boardman.