THE LOWDOWN ON DIABETES
Dietitian SUSIE BURRELL explains everything you need to know about the condition affecting 1.7 million Aussies
One person will be diagnosed with diabetes in Australia every five minutes, making it the fastest growing condition in the country. So while we may have some understanding of the condition, it’s important to be totally across it so you and your loved ones can do what you can to prevent it, or know how to manage it if someone is diagnosed.
Dietitian and nutritionist Susie Burrell helps take us back to basics.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
According to Diabetes Australia, the condition is defined as bodies that can’t maintain healthy levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose is a form of sugar that acts as an energy source for the body.
Converting glucose into this energy is done by a hormone called insulin. People with diabetes are lacking sufficient amounts of insulin for this conversion, which means the glucose can’t be converted into energy and stays in the bloodstream, upping blood glucose levels. This is referred to as glycaemia.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES?
There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.
““In In type 1 diabetes the immune system attacks the pancreas so insulin is not produced,” explains Susie.
“Type 2 occurs when the efficiency of insulin reduces over time to a point where medical intervention is required via oral medication or injected insulin for glucose to be processed.”
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and is diagnosed when higher than normal blood glucose levels arise. After the baby’s born most women will no longer have it, but it is possible to still have high blood glucose levels and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
IS IT GENETIC?
“It can be, both for type 1 and 2,” says Susie. “But type 2 can also be induced over time as a result of weight gain, a high carb diet and a lack of physical activity.”
HOW IS IT MANAGED?
Susie advises that lifestyle changes are important when it comes to managing type 2
diabetes.
“It requires constant attention, often significant weight loss, a low-carb diet and lots of movement and exercise,” she says. In some cases type 2 diabetes can be reversed.
There are also regular blood glucose monitoring tests, done through finger prick readers and/or through your GP.
In some cases insulin medication may be prescribed as tablets or injections, but this doesn’t substitute healthy eating and exercise, which is used in conjunction.
Type 1 diabetes is a lifethreatening condition that must be managed daily with insulin injections (up to six a day) or an insulin pump.
Those with type 1 must also have a healthy eating plan, exercise regularly and monitor blood glucose levels regularly.
CAN YOU PREVENT DIABETES?
Type 1 diabetes unfortunately cannot be prevented.
It is possible to prevent type 2 by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, opting for a nutritious diet, managing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and not smoking. Glucose tolerance tests can also help.
“[They] identify if insulin resistance or impaired glucose tolerance is present,” says Susie. “This is a sign you will get diabetes within 10 years and a prompt to get serious about diet and exercise, and see a dietitian who specialises in insulin resistance and pre-diabetes.”