Diabetes - What is diabetes?
Why is diabetes important?
Diabetes is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, as is having high blood cholesterol. If you have diabetes, it is important to aim for low levels of blood cholesterol as well as triglycerides.
People with diabetes are unable to efficiently convert blood sugar (glucose) to energy in the body. Insulin is a hormone, produced in the pancreas, that is designed to help move glucose into the cells for energy production. People with diabetes either don't produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes), or their body doesn't use the insulin efficiently (type 2 diabetes). If insulin cannot transport glucose in your body, there will be an excess of glucose in the bloodstream.
Too much glucose in the blood stream can lead to major health problems. People with uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes are at high risk for heart disease and long-term damage of various organs especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.1
Who is at risk of getting diabetes?
Being overweight and physically inactive can significantly increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.1 Because these risk factors are increasing in Australia, so too, is the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
In 2000 it was estimated that about 950,000 Australians had diabetes, but only half of these people were aware that they were diabetic.1
You are at increased risk of developing diabetes if you are5:
Aged over 35 years and your origin is:
- Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Pacific Islander, Indian subcontinent or Chinese.
Aged over 45 years and you:
- Are overweight and/or have excess fat around your midriff
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a family member who has diabetes
Aged over 55 years and you:
- Suffer from heart disease
Have impaired glucose tolerance
Are a woman who has had gestational diabetes or who has polycystic ovary disease.