Type 2 diabetes epidemic: Man is turning his
the messages of healthy eating and increased activity which are proven to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”
The PHO funds 33 general practices in the Western Bay of Plenty and Whakata¯ne and provides complementary health services in the community, some of which target people at risk of developing diabetes.
As a preventive measure, the PHO is funding medical centres to offer increased support to Ma¯ori, Pasifika and Asian people, as well as Community
Service Card holders identified as at risk of developing diabetes.
Diabetes New Zealand Bay of Plenty district manager Karen Reed said health services were struggling to provide adequate care and support for people with diabetes.
A doubling of diagnosis rates in two decades was alarming, Reed said.
As numbers continued to rise, greater investment would help to counter the “devastating effect” the disease would have on communities, she said. “The report looked at four potential interventions in detail – I’d like to see support to help us put these and more into action – we need more funding, more resources and we need to be creative in using these resources, we need to work collaboratively and we need a New Zealand-wide approach.”
Reed worked on the recently published report and said it wasn’t about helping people to live healthier lifestyles but taking steps to break down the barriers.
“The food industry has a large part to play in this, schools and workplaces, we need to address social and economic barriers.
“It’s not just what we eat or how