Sweden confronts diabetes surge with new thigh‑length risk test

Researchers from Denmark's Technical University have found that a short thigh length can indicate a higher risk of type‑2 diabetes, linking early childhood nutrition to later disease. The online self‑test, called MEDWACS, uses a simple thigh measurement instead of a blood draw and has shown high accuracy in studies from the United States and South Korea.

In Sweden, about 800,000 people have a diabetes diagnosis, with an estimated 200,000 more undetected cases. The condition costs the Swedish health system roughly 34 billion SEK each year, with the Västra Götaland region alone bearing about 5.6 billion SEK. Anders Lundgren, secretary‑general of Diabetes Wellness Sweden, calls for stronger primary‑care screening and preventive measures, urging regional authorities to systematically test at‑risk groups and promote lifestyle changes.

The new thigh‑length test could offer a low‑cost, accessible tool to identify individuals at risk, supporting the broader push for earlier detection and prevention of diabetes in Sweden.