Type 2 diabetes: Don’t get it - Prevent it

“Type 2 diabetes is a preventable disease.” That’s the message being given to people in New South Wales during National Diabetes Week 2006, July 9 –15.

Using the slogan, ‘Don’t get it - Prevent it’, the campaign was chosen following the publication by Australian Diabetes Council of the latest data showing a 300 percent increase in the number of people with diabetes in the last 10 years.

More than 1.4 million Australians (542,000 in New South Wales) have diabetes, but half don’t know they have it - yet.

“If the present trend continues, two million Australians will have diabetes by the year 2010, and unfortunately, I think we will reach that target,” warns Dr Neville Howard, President of Australian Diabetes Council.

He said that with one person being diagnosed with diabetes every seven minutes, the situation would get a lot worse before it gets better.

“The number of people with type 2 diabetes - the so called lifestyle disease - has doubled in just five years, and the number of children with type 2 is increasing at between five and ten percent a year,” he said.

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease that occurs partly when the body is unable to use its own insulin properly, a condition made worse by obesity. It accounts for about 90 percent of all diabetes cases and of those diagnosed 80 to 90 percent are overweight or obese.

Dr Howard says the real answer lies in preventing type 2 diabetes in the first place. International studies have shown that people can prevent type 2 diabetes developing by healthy eating and increased physical activity.

“People who lose five to seven percent of their body weight, which can be achieved through being physically active for at least 30 minutes most days and eating foods low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes,” said Dr Howard.

That’s why the charity has chosen to promote the ‘Don’t get it - Prevent it’ message. Australian Diabetes Council has mounted a major campaign to alert people to the need to prevent type 2 diabetes.

It includes:

• Taking the prevention message to the people. Diabetes Expos are being held at selected shopping centres during National Diabetes Week. Celebrity Chef Peter Howard launched National Diabetes Week at Westfield Shopping Centre in Chatswood, as a prelude to the Diabetes Expos. 

• Prevention brochures. A range of brochures, a poster and a risk test scratchie have been distributed to GP’s, hospitals, allied health professionals and interested organisations. The brochures provide easy-to-understand advice on food, being active, who is at risk, managing pre-diabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes have been produced. 

• A scratchie to find your risk factors. When diabetes is diagnosed it’s too late to prevent the disease and often symptoms are hard to understand. A good way to assess your chances of developing type 2 diabetes is to check your risk factors. .

• Real people who tell us their stories. 

• A television community service announcement.

Get to know your BGL

Australian Diabetes Council is also reminding people to get to know their blood glucose levels (BGLs). Just as cholesterol and blood pressure are important indicators of your health, your blood glucose levels, tell you whether you are heading towards pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure than people with normal blood glucose levels.

For health professionals: To help with diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, a NH&MRC Interactive Diagnostic Tool is available for download.