Aussie diabetes rates soar
February 2, 2012
THE prevalence of diabetes in the
Australian population has almost
quadrupled over the past two
decades, from 1.5% to 4.1%.
The worrying figures are part of a
new report titled Diabetes
indicators in Australia, produced
by the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare, which took
into account several surveys
including statistics provided from
the Australian Bureau of Statistics
National Health Survey.
Aside from the rapidly rising
number of diabetes sufferers, the
report did however turn up some
good news, that the number of
diabetes-related deaths dropped
by 18% between 1997 and 2007,
whilst hospitalisations for lower
limb amputations among people
with diabetes fell between 2001
and 2007–08, from 4.8 to 4.1 per
1,000 people with diabetes.
According to AIHW spokesperson
Lisa McGlynn, the decline may be
the result of better diabetes
management.
“However, the increasing number
of Australians with diabetes is still a
cause for concern, as is the number
of Australians with modifiable risk
factors for diabetes,” she said
“We can help manage diabetes
risk by, among other things,
maintaining a healthy weight,
getting enough exercise and eating
the right amounts of fruit and
vegetables,” she added.
According to the report risk
factors for diabetes are also up
significantly, with the number of
overweight or obese Australians
up to 61% in 2007-08, compared to
57% in 1995, whilst the rate of
Australian adults who don’t get
enough exercise has also increased
from 69% to 72% between 2001
and 2007–08.
In addition, the report found that
in 2007–08, more than 90% of adults
did not eat enough vegetables and
50% did not eat enough fruit.
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