In the UK, approximately 6 million people are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, frequently unaware until serious complications develop.

However, the early warning signs are present, manifested through our skin, our waistlines, our sleep patterns, and our energy levels.

On TikTok, content creator Jade Rivers - who claims she has reversed insulin resistance - regularly shares videos encouraging people to educate themselves and modify their lifestyle habits to achieve similar results.

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In a clip entitled "Here's what a body looks like that's heading towards diabetes", she details warning indicators, explains why they occur, and suggests remedial actions.

"If your body looks like this, chances are you're headed towards type 2 diabetes," she starts, reports the Express.

Dark patches

The initial sign Jade highlights are dark patches beneath arms, which are commonly an indication of acanthosis nigricans (AN), a condition that can result from insulin resistance and is regularly linked with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

This condition produces dark, thickened, and velvety patches of skin in areas with skin folds such as underarms or neck.

Skin tags

Furthermore, skin tags can serve as an indicator for type 2 diabetes, as research demonstrates a connection between having multiple skin tags and an increased risk of insulin resistance and diabetes, according to the NHS.

Nevertheless, it's crucial to understand skin tags are not conclusive evidence of diabetes, and their existence alone doesn't confirm you have the condition.

Waistline

Jade highlights another warning sign: a waist measurement exceeding half your height.

Medically, carrying extra weight around your middle (visceral fat) poses a significant threat for type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure and cardiac disease - even when your BMI appears "normal".

British guidelines increasingly emphasise waist-to-height ratio: target below 0.5, with 0.6 or higher suggesting elevated risk.

As a general guide, larger waist measurements (especially over 94 cm/37 in for men and 80 cm/31.5 in for women) indicate heightened cardiometabolic danger.

She further explains: "If you touch your stomach and it's hard and dense, you're insulin resistant because your body is [likely] stuck in fat-storing mode."

Feet swelling

Diabetes can harm blood vessels and nerves gradually, diminishing circulation and causing fluid accumulation in the lower legs and feet.

Ongoing swelling requires medical attention, as it may also relate to cardiac, kidney or venous issues - conditions that might accompany diabetes.

Sleep apnoea

A destructive pattern can emerge when surplus weight leads to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Disrupted breathing lowers oxygen levels, which can trigger insulin resistance and raised blood glucose.

Inadequate sleep quality also increases blood pressure and stresses the heart, amplifying diabetes-related dangers.

If you snore heavily, gasp during the night, or feel tired upon waking, consult your GP about OSA evaluation.

Hump on the back of the neck

Jade highlights a "buffalo hump" - a fatty deposit across the back of the neck and shoulders.

This symptom is technically a fat accumulation on the back of the neck and shoulders and represents a typical indicator of Cushing's syndrome, which occurs due to excessive levels of the hormone cortisol.

Elevated cortisol levels can result from sustained high blood sugar in diabetes, which may prompt the body to store fat in this region.

"And what's crazy is you can go to your doctor but you're just going to get a pill for each of these symptoms," Jade says.

"But these are all just signs and you can do something about it today."

She adds: "Our bloodstream should only have a teaspoon of sugar in it at most at a time. But with our modern food environment and the foods that we're eating, we have well over that in our bloodstream. But the key to controlling that is right here."

Lifestyle modifications - nutrient-rich eating, regular exercise, improved sleep, and weight control - are transformative.

Similarly, NHS treatment is available to diagnose, assist and, where suitable, prescribe therapies.