What is type 2 diabetes (Diabetes: Australian Facts 2008)
- Marked by the reduction of insulin production or ineffective use
- Is the most common form of diabetes accounting for 83% of those with diabetes in Australia.
- Mostly occurs in people over 40 years
- Becoming increasingly apparent in children.
- Has a strong genetic (familial) propensity
- Unmasked by lifestyle factors including obesity and lack of exercise
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes
- Excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme tiredness or feeling lethargic
- Blurred vision
- Mood swings
Type 2 diabetes can be managed by
- Changes to your diet
- Increase in exercise
- Use of glucose lowering drugs or insulin injections, or a combination of both.
With adequate management of type 2 diabetes the likelihood of complications developing is greatly reduced. We recommend you speak to your doctor and investigate all options to ensure you can control your diabetes. Please take a look at some of our success stories about living life to the full with diabetes.
Risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes
- Family history
- Obesity
- Impaired sugar regulation
- Physical inactivity
- Age
Facts about diabetes in Australia
- There are 700,000 people with diagnosed diabetes in Australia in 2005.
- 83% of these had type 2 diabetes.
- Is estimated that for every diagnosed case of diabetes there is one undiagnosed case.
- If left unchecked 1 in 14 adults or 380 million people worldwide will have diabetes by 2025 (IDF 2006).
Australian health ministers agreed in 1996 to make diabetes mellitus a National Health Priority Area.
The DRF is doing everything in its power to stem the tide of diabetes, reduce the complications of diabetes and improve the quality of life for those with diabetes.
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Take a look at some of the research projects we are currently funded |
