“…once you develop diabetes you will have to manage the condition every day for the rest of your life.”
It’s National Diabetes Week (12-18 July) and this year the message is about ensuring that people don’t underestimate the seriousness of diabetes. And apparently most of us do underestimate it!
New research* by Diabetes Australia involving over 1000** Australians, shows that three out of four people ‘substantially underestimate’ the prevalence of diabetes and over 60 per cent of people don’t link diabetes to its major complications including heart attacks, stroke, anxiety and depression.
In denial
Diabetes Australia CEO, Greg Johnson said the research showed that people also tend to underestimate their own personal risk.
“Two out of three people older than 55 years or younger than 24 years stated that they are ‘not at risk’.”
“This study highlights most people still underestimate the vast number of people developing diabetes, and the serious health complications of diabetes if it’s not diagnosed and managed,” he said.
Disease risk
CEO of Diabetes Victoria, Craig Bennett, said diabetes can be a silent killer if it isn’t managed well.
“Many death certificates quote ‘heart attack’ or ‘stroke’, camouflaging the fact that diabetes is an underlying cause of death in many cases. There is a great need to share this fact with the general public and to raise awareness,” he said.
The findings of the survey show that almost two in three respondents correctly identified blindness (64%), kidney damage (64%) and amputation (62%) as possible complications of diabetes.
However only 40% were able to identify heart disease and 34% identify stroke, which are also major complications of diabetes. The fact that diabetes is associated with depression, anxiety and dementia was correctly identified by only a minority of respondents (36%, 25% and 7% respectively).
Something worth worrying about
Mr Bennett said all types of diabetes are serious and complex and can increase a person’s risk of developing life-threatening complications.
“Yet the general public do not see the whole picture,” he said.
“There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes,” said Mr Bennett.
“Each type of diabetes has different underlying causes and may be managed with different strategies, but once you develop diabetes you will have to manage the condition every day for the rest of your life.”
Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in Australia. For every person diagnosed with diabetes there is usually a family member or carer who also ‘lives with diabetes’ every day in a support role.
“In our survey, almost 60 per cent of respondents indicated they have had personal experience with diabetes, either having the condition themselves (10%), or through having a friend or family member with the condition (49%).
“Despite this personal experience, these findings show a concerning lack of awareness,” he said.
A campaign worth sharing
Diabetes Australia’s new awareness campaign is called ‘280 a day’. This is the number of Australians who develop diabetes every day. The new TV ad shows images of 280 Australians and highlights the 24/7 nature of living with diabetes and its serious complications. You can watch the TV advertisement by clicking on this link
“Everyone needs to know more about diabetes,” says Diabetes Australia CEO, Mr Greg Johnson.
“Most Australians are at risk and ‘you don’t have to be old, you don’t have to be overweight’ to develop diabetes.”
National Diabetes Week 2015 is 12–18 July 2015
* The new research published by Diabetes Australia was conducted by the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, a collaboration
between Diabetes Victoria and Deakin University.
** The sample of the online survey was 1011 adults (over 18 years) from all states and territories in Australia. 10% reported having diabetes and 49% reported having a family member or friend with diabetes.
Where to get help
- Your doctor
- Local community health centre
- Diabetes Australia info line: 1300 136 588
- Find your state office for Diabetes Australia www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/contact-us
- Dietitians Association of Australia Tel. 1800 812 942
- Life! Helping you prevent diabetes, heart disease and stroke Tel. 13 RISK (13 7475)
Fast facts
- Around 1.7 million Australians have diabetes. This includes all types of diagnosed diabetes (1.2 million known and registered), as well as ’silent’, undiagnosed type 2 diabetes (up to 500,000 estimated). More than 100,000 Australians have developed diabetes in the past year alone.
- Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. But up to 80 per cent of cases of Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented by making simple changes in our everyday lives.
- In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells, but currently the cause remains uncertain. Type 2 diabetes is a little more complex. It’s the combination of our genes and our lifestyle that influences the development of Type 2 diabetes and puts us at risk.
- Type 2 diabetes develops when your pancreas can’t produce enough of the hormone, insulin or when the insulin it does produce doesn’t work properly. It is serious. If your body doesn’t have the right amount of insulin, or if your insulin isn’t doing its job properly, you can become seriously ill.
- Diagnosed early, Type 2 diabetes is manageable. Left unchecked, Type 2 diabetes can cause devastating complications like blindness, heart attacks, stroke and amputation.
- It is estimated that up to 58% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented. People at risk of type 2 diabetes can delay and even prevent the condition by following a healthy lifestyle, including:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Regular physical activity
- Making healthy food choices
- Managing blood pressure
- Managing cholesterol levels
- Not smoking
