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Quick Facts

Prevalence

More than 3 million or one in four Australian adults over the age of 25 have either diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes) 3.

1,085,800 Australians have diagnosed diabetes (type 1 or 2) 1. Worldwide an estimated 285 million people have diabetes 1.

The national prevalence of diabetes in 20-79 year old people is 7.2% and 9.8% for impaired glucose tolerance respectively 1.

Facts

  • Diabetes is Australia’s fastest growing chronic disease 3
     
  • One person is diagnosed every seven minutes 3
     
  • It is estimated that for every person diagnosed with diabetes, another person is unaware they have it 3 , 6
     
  • In 2015, Australian Diabetes Council expects the number of people with diagnosed diabetes to total approximately 4.6 million 7

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when there are abnormally high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. This is caused by the body not producing enough or no insulin and/or the body cells do not respond properly to the insulin that is produced. Insulin is a hormone, produced by the pancreas and is needed for glucose to enter the body cells and be converted to energy.
 

Two main types of diabetes


Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent) Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent)
  • Occurs when the pancreas no longer produces the insulin needed
     
  • Represents 10 to 15% of all cases of diabetes
     
  • Is an autoimmune condition not primarily caused by lifestyle factors
     
  • Is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in developed nations
     
  • Type 1 diabetes is increasing by about 3% a year 2
  • Occurs when the pancreas is not producing enough insulin and the insulin is not working effectively
     
  • Represents 85 to 90% of all cases of diabetes
     
  • Risk factors include increasing age, family history, ethnic background and obesity (see section on High Risk factors for more details)
     
  • Lifestyle factors such as unhealthy eating and lack of physical activity can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes
Age at Diagnosis: Usually in childhood or young adulthood, although it can occur at any age Age at Diagnosis: Usually in older adults over the age of 30 but may occur in overweight teenagers and children with a family history of diabetes 3
Onset: Usually abrupt onset Onset: Usually slow
Symptoms: Can include excess thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, weakness & fatigue, irritability. Symptoms: Often diagnosed by routine blood test; often no typical symptoms.

When blood glucose reaches higher levels, symptoms can include excessive thirst and urination, weakness and fatigue, blurred vision, infections that don’t heal or heal slowly, tingling and numbness in the feet  
Management
  • Lifelong insulin injections or continuous insulin infusion (insulin pump)
     
  • Regular medical monitoring and self management
     
  • Healthy Eating and regular physical activity
 Management
  • Regular Physical activity and healthy eating
     
  • Weight management
     
  • Over time treatment may progress from lifestyle modification to requiring tablets and/or insulin injections.

Complications

Complications include increased risk of heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney failure, limb amputation, and erectile dysfunction in men.

Diabetes and heart disease/stroke: Diabetes is also often associated with high blood pressure and high blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and causes an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Over two-thirds of all cardiovascular disease deaths occur in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes 3.

Diabetes and eye disease: Retinopathy is a major longterm complication of diabetes. The development of retinopathy is strongly related to the length of time diabetes has been present and the degree of blood glucose control. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in Australians aged under 60. Regular eye checks and treatment can help prevent blindness caused by retinopathy.

Diabetes and kidney disease: Diabetes is the fastest growing cause of kidney failure. It is the leading cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD). About 30% of people with diabetes will develop kidney disease. 5

Diabetes and lower limbs: Neuropathy or peripheral nerve disease and blood vessel damage, may lead to leg ulcers and serious foot problems from which limb amputation may result. In 2004, 76.5% of people with diabetes undergoing limb amputation in the previous 12 months had a history of ulceration. 2
 

Pre-diabetes 3

Pre-diabetes (Impaired Fasting Glucose or Impaired Glucose Tolerance) is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Left untreated it may develop into type 2 diabetes within five to ten years. However, a number of studies have clearly demonstrated that lifestyle modification (weight reduction and increased physical activity) can dramatically reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in high risk individuals. 3

Gestational diabetes 3

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes with initial onset or recognition during pregnancy (usually third trimester) and usually disappears after giving birth.

In Australia the prevalence of GDM is approximately 5% or 1 in 20 pregnancies. It is usually detected during a routine screening test, which is performed at around 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Uncontrolled GDM can result in problems for the baby such as macrosomia (large birth weight) and hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) immediately after birth. It can predispose the baby to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and being overweight later in life.

GDM is characterised by:

  • Insulin resistance (cells fail to adequately respond to insulin) due to the placenta producing hormones which stop insulin from working effectively.
     
  • Slower release of insulin despite increased demand (two to three times higher than normal).

Risk factors for GDM are advanced maternal age, obesity, family history of diabetes and high risk ethnic background.

Up to 50% of women with gestational diabetes may develop type 2 diabetes within five years, however this can be minimised with healthy eating and regular physical activity.

HIGH risk categories for developing type 2 diabetes 8 , 9

 Modifiable Risk Factors  Non-Modifable Risk Factors
  • Overweight (two-fold risk) and obesity (four-fold risk); abdominal obesity is most detrimental (waist measurement classified as high risk: over 110cm for men, over 100cm for women)
  • Family history- people who have a first degree relative(parents/siblings) with diabetes are two to six times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
  • Physical inactivity (i.e. on average less than 2.5hrs of physical activity per week)
  •  Gender (higher risk in males)
  •  Poor dietary intake
  •  Genetic susceptibility
  •  Smoking
  •  Age (the risk of type 2 diabetes increases with increasing age)
  •  Psychological stress and depression
  • Ethnic background (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Pacific Islander, Maori Asian (including Indian subcontinent), Middle East, North Africa; Southern Europe)

Other risk factors

  • Gestational Diabetes
     
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
     
  • Metabolic syndrome (can include central obesity, high blood fats, high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels)

The Human Burden

  • Diabetes is the sixth highest cause of death by disease in Australia 6
     
  • People with diabetes are twice as likely to be have high blood pressure and also are more likely to have elevated blood fats e.g. cholesterol, triglycerides 2
     
  • They are two times more likely to have cardiovascular disease, e.g. heart disease and stroke 2

People with diabetes in 2005 2

  • 15.3% of all diabetes hospitalisations were due to coronary heart disease2
     
  • 21% of all diabetes hospitalisations were due to diabetes kidney disease2
     
  • 38,700 Australians were hospitalised for eye complications caused by diabetes 2
     
  • 3,400 Australians had amputations (65 a day), 70% of which were male 2
     
  • 11% of people with diabetes have had a heart attack 2
     
  • 13% of all diabetes deaths were due to kidney disease 2

The Financial Burden 10

  • Type 2 diabetes costs Australia $3 billion a year
     
  • The total health cost of type 2 diabetes (in 2003) for a person with no complications was $5,360 per year and increased to $9,645 per year if the person had diabetes related complications (i.e. both micro and macro-vascular disease)

Diabetes Research

There is no cure for either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The Australian Diabetes Council supports research.
 

The majority of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented- prevention costs governments far less than treating diabetes and its complications.

For more information

Phone: 1300 342 238 or Contact Us

PDF of 2011 Diabetes Facts

CLICK HERE to download the 2011 Diabetes Facts.

References:

 (1) Diabetes Atlas. IDF, 2006; (2) Diabetes: Australian Facts. AIHW, 2008; (3) AusDiab 2005. IDI, 2006; (5) International Diabetes Federation, 2009; (6) Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010; (7) NDSS, 2010; (8) DHA (AUSDRISK), 2008; (9) DA & NHMRC, National Evidence Based Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, 2009; (10) DiabCost. Diabetes Australia, 2003.


Updated- August 2010
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