Charlotte Dawson was warned she was at risk of dying of the same health condition that killed her father if she didn’t change her approach to diet and fitness – prompting a radical body overhaul.
The 29-year-old reality star is the daughter of late comedian Les Dawson – who passed away 1993 at the age of 62 following a fatal heart attack.
The comedy legend had also been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes just before his death – which happened when Charlotte was just an eight-month-old baby.
Charlotte is now a mum-of-one herself having welcomed her 11-month-old son, Noah, with 30-year-old fiancé Matthew Sarsfield at the beginning of the year.
Discussing her new life as a mum with Fabulous magazine, Charlotte explained that she was confronted with a wave of emotions when her baby boy turned eight-months-old himself in September.
And she also revealed doctors warned her that her dangerous diet of high-fat foods was putting her health at risk.
Speaking to the publication, Charlotte said: “My dad died when I was Noah’s age. When Noah turned eight months old in September, it broke my heart.
"He’s already such a character and the way he lights up when he’s with his dad… It really hurts that my dad died when I was that age.”
Charlotte says she sees her father in her baby boy – which made a health warning all the more impossible to ignore.
She explained:“I feel like [Noah] is my dad reincarnated… he is so funny.
"So when I found out [about the possible diabetes diagnosis], all I could think about was being around for Noah. I don’t want to die. I had to change.”
The Celebs Go Dating star went on to detail what her diet used to consist of – saying she would happily order McDonald’s for breakfast, KFC for lunch and take-away chips for dinner on days she was hungover.
However, she added: “But in June I started to feel a bit dizzy so I went to the doctor and when I was given the diabetes warning, I burst out crying.”
With the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – a condition that affects the way the body produces insulin and can cause problems to the eyes, heart and nerves – Charlotte turned her life around.
The star was a size 14-16 and weighed 12.5 stone when doctors warned her of her diabetes risk – and thanks to exercise and changing her diet to healthier foods, the star is now down to a size 8-10 and weights 8st 10lbs.
Consulting a nutritionist named Jo Travers, Charlotte also managed to improve her diet to include foods that wouldn’t spike her blood sugar levels.
Explaining her new diet, the star said she enjoys eating lots of vegetables to help keep her blood sugar levels down and snacks on breadsticks with Philadelphia cheese – which are low in sugar and high in protein.
She also admits she still enjoys Prosecco and fish suppers – but limits them to weekend treats.
