Nov 14, 20214 min read

World Diabetes Day 2021

This Sunday is World Diabetes Day 2021

World Diabetes Day (WDD) was created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225.

It is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

Diabetes puts people at risk of nerve damage, cardiovascular disease, foot and limb injuries, vision problems, and other complications that arise from having uncontrolled blood sugar. Not to mention, diabetes raises a person’s risk of developing serious COVID-19, as per Australian Government Department of Health

That’s why understanding diabetes and how to manage it is more important than ever. Also known as diabetes mellitus, it’s actually a group of metabolic disorders that cause your blood glucose (sugar) level to be higher than it should be and therefore prevent your body from properly using energy that comes from food and beverages.

Interventions & Prevention

Our team at Doctors at Australia Fair can provide you multiple ways to manage your diabetes including regular monitoring, dietetics and nutritional guidance, regular blood sugar checks, and managing the symptoms. Our team of doctors (including a bulk-billing Endocrinologist), nurses and allied health professionals work together to provide chronic disease management and control.

Come in and book in with us or call to book (07) 5528 3806 and talk to our GPs.

Outcomes for people with diabetes are best when managed early.

More Information about Diabetes

Types of Diabetes

The major types of diabetes are:

Pre-diabetes

There are two pre-diabetes conditions:

Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is where blood glucose levels are escalated in the fasting state but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
It is possible to have both Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT)

Risk factors

Risk factors for pre-diabetes are similar to those for type 2 diabetes which are:

Being overweight – especially those who have excess weight around the waistline (i.e.: more than 94cm for men and more than 80cm for women).
Being physically inactive.
Having high triglycerides and low HDL-C (good cholesterol) and/or high total cholesterol.
Having high blood pressure.
Having a family history of type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease.

Other people at risk include:

Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome*.
Women who have had diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or given birth to a big baby (more than 4.5kgs).
Those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background.
Those from certain ethnic backgrounds such as the Pacific Islands, Asia and the Indian sub-continent.

Type 1 Diabetes

An autoimmune disorder that typically begins before adulthood, in which the immune system destroys cells within the body that make insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar

Represents around 10 per cent of all cases of diabetes and is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions
Onset is usually abrupt and the symptoms obvious
Symptoms can include excessive thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, weakness and fatigue and blurred vision
Is managed with insulin injections several times a day or the use of an insulin pump.

Type 2 Diabetes

A disease that usually begins in middle age, which results when the body isn’t able to use insulin properly to regulate blood sugar

People are at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes if they:

have a family history of diabetes
are older (over 55 years of age ) – the risk increases as we age
are over 45 years of age and are overweight
are over 45 years of age and have high blood pressure
are over 35 years of age and are from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background
are over 35 years of age and are from Pacific Island, Indian subcontinent or Chinese cultural background
are a woman who has given birth to a child over 4.5 kgs (9 lbs), or had gestational diabetes when pregnant, or had a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Gestational Diabetes

A condition during pregnancy in which the body doesn’t use insulin properly, similar to type 2 diabetes.

Women at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes include those who:

have had GDM in a previous pregnancy
are older, especially aged 40 years or over
have a family history of type 2 diabetes or a first-degree relative (mother or sister) who has had gestational diabetes
are above the healthy weight range
have previously had elevated blood glucose levels
are First Nations women
are from an African, Melanesian, Polynesian, South Asian, Chinese, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and South American backgrounds
have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
have previously given birth to a large baby (weighing more than 4.5kg)
are currently taking some types of anti-psychotic or steroid medications.

Symptoms:

Being excessively thirsty
Passing more urine
Feeling tired and lethargic
Always feeling hungry
Having cuts that heal slowly
Itching, skin infections
Blurred vision
Gradually putting on weight
Mood swings
Headaches
Feeling dizzy
Leg cramps

PREVENTION

Strong international evidence shows diabetes prevention programs can help prevent type 2 diabetes in up to 58 per cent of cases. You can do a lot to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, read our tips below.

Type 1

Currently type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. However, researchers are looking into the autoimmune process and environmental factors that lead people to developing type 1 diabetes to help prevent type 1 diabetes in the future.

Type 2

Evidence, including large-scale randomised control trials, shows type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in up to 58 per cent of cases by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and following a healthy eating plan.

People at risk of type 2 diabetes can delay and even prevent the condition by:

Maintaining a healthy weight