DIABETES WEEK – COULD YOU BE AT RISK?
Diabetes may be one of the few diseases that doesn’t need an awareness campaign. There’s an estimated 1.7-million sufferers across the country, it comprises over 30% of hospital admissions and is the fastest growing chronic disease in the country. Despite this, almost 2 million Australians are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, and by 2025 it’s predicted up to 3 million will have developed the disease. Accordingly, this year’s Diabetes Week asks, could you could be at risk of diabetes?
However it’s not all bad news for the mostly preventable condition, with the key factor in preventing Type 2 diabetes being weight management. While up to 60% of diabetes cases could be prevented, nearly two thirds of men and half of all women in Australia are overweight or obese. Yet, Australian Diabetes Council CEO Nicola Stokes says the symptoms often go unnoticed. “Many people are unaware that they have type 2 diabetes. This means that for every person with diabetes, there is another person has type 2 diabetes yet doesn’t know they have it.”
Newcastle’s George Jamieson, 19 says, as a young man, his severe Type 1 Diabetes can be difficult, but he tries to avoid it controlling his life. “There are some obvious limitations around drinking and eating large amounts… Playing rugby another difficult one to manage as well as other sport as blood gluclose levels will often go extremely low”.
George is an active student from The University of Newcastle and has been living with diabetes for most of his life, but he still worries about the preparedness of people around him if something were to go wrong. “The biggest worry I have with my diabetes is that if I do have an episode of extremely low blood sugar levels and begin to pass out or something else adverse, that people might not know how to manage it”.
He believes an awareness campaign will help people become more informed. “The vast majority of people are unaware about the symptoms and what they should do if the situation were to occur… Ideally diabetes week will help raise awareness and help save some lives”.
Type 1 sufferer Sally Marchini from Swansea, says social media has enabled sufferers to discuss their experiences and raise awareness among the general public. While she says her condition has forced her to “think like a pancreas”, her work as a dietitian has enabled her to become a diabetes advocate for others.
“I’m the social media dietitian for Diabetes Counselling Online which is a free service for all people living with diabetes, their families and friends. We have closed Facebook groups and forums to support people,” she said.
However there’s good news for sufferers and those at risk, with the announcement of over $700,000 of Government funding for research into Type 1 diabetes.
Grant recipient Dr Lin Perry is a Professor of Nursing Research and Practice Development at the University of Technology Sydney says she’ll use the funds to support people in rural areas who use insulin pumps. “I saw an urgent need to use new technologies like insulin pump up-load functions, mobile phones and easily-available applications to help T1D patients… Manage their chronic disease”.
Dr Lin Perry’s earlier research into Type 1 Diabetes found rural settings had substantially lower access to, and uptake of, routine monitoring and preventive services compared with selected metropolitan settings.
The Australian Diabetes Council details instances of diabetes in state non-metropolitan areas.
Port Macquarie 6.85% – 3,587 people
Tamworth 6.36% – 3,282 people
Myall Lakes 6.11% – 3,225 people
Lake Macquarie 5.78% – 2,991 people
Cessnock 5.60% – 3,031 people
Upper Hunter 5.16% – 2,640 people
Maitland 5.32% – 2,990 people
Coffs Harbour 4.84% – 2,536 people
Newcastle 4.42% – 2,307 people
Australian Diabetes Council is marking Diabetes Awareness Week with the launch of a new booklet containing information about the Ages and Stages with Diabetes, with practical tips and information. The booklet can be downloaded HERE
