BT has revealed more than 5,000 employees have undertaken an online risk assessment for diabetes in just six weeks.

The assessment, offered as part of its Work Fit programme, aims to inform employees if they are at medium or high risk of developing the condition - which predominantly affects men over the age of 40.
 
So far, more than 2,000 staff have been identified as being of medium risk, while 340 have been identified as high risk.
 
"We have 110,000 employees, of which 73% are men and the average age is 43," said Dr Catherine Kilfedder, BT group health advisor. "This is exactly the sort of profile of person that is at risk of developing diabetes."
 
Employees with a medium-risk rating or above are given advice on how to seek medical advice, and while BT is not measuring it specifically, Kilfedder says she expects some of those rated ‘high-risk' will have already been diagnosed with diabetes.
 
The diabetes focus is the sixth element of BT's Work Fit programme. Previous components of the programme have including cardio-vascular conditions, cancers and mental health.

Also in the news today, BT has been named as the most race-diverse employer in the UK by Race for Opportunity.