Does our biggest health crisis affect your family?

It’s the biggest health crisis facing New Zealand today. More than one in 20 Kiwis are already diagnosed. And if you add those who have the condition but don’t know it yet, the incidence rises to one in every 14 of us… And it can be deadly.

We’re not unique either. Globally, 451 million people live with diabetes. In New Zealand it’s ¼ million and growing.

Diabetes can lead to strokes, kidney failure, blindness and limb amputations. It can be fatal. The risk of these complications increases when diabetes isn’t managed or diagnosed.

In New Zealand, there are 100,000 undiagnosed with type 2 diabetes. When you have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes you may have been unwell and tired for some time but haven’t known what the problem was. It can be a relief to get a diagnosis but also a shock to learn it is diabetes.

“Once you know you have diabetes, you need to manage it. That is much easier if you can get support from your family,” says Heather Verry, Chief Executive of Diabetes NZ.

The key role that family plays is recognised in this year’s theme for World Diabetes Day, Protect Your Family. The primary aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the impact that diabetes has on the family. It also promotes the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of the condition.

“Family members can also help the 100,000 Kiwis who don’t know they have diabetes to get tested and diagnosed, so that they can receive appropriate support to manage the condition and help avoid its worst effects.”

“One of the reasons to get diagnosed is that the condition can be successfully managed if you know what you’re dealing with,” says Ms Verry.

World Diabetes day is held on 14 November every year. In New Zealand, this falls within the wider activities of Diabetes Action Month, which goes for all of November. Two main types There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease, an inability for the pancreas to produce insulin, which is needed to break down sugar found in food. This is often diagnosed during childhood and people with type 1 diabetes need to get insulin doses every day.

Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 usually develops over time and is the result of the body not creating enough insulin to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels in the normal range. Everyone needs some glucose in their blood, but if it’s too high it can damage your body over time.

In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the cells in the body don’t recognise the insulin that is present. The end result is the same: high levels of glucose in your blood.

Often lifestyle changes are enough to keep type 2 diabetes under control. In most cases, this requires a change in diet and increased physical activity, which can be much easier to achieve if the whole family adapts their meals and exercises together.

“As some people have a genetic predisposition to diabetes, adopting a healthier family diet doesn’t only help the person with the condition. It could well prevent other family members from developing type 2 diabetes,” says Ms Verry.

In New Zealand, people of Pacific, Māori and Indian descent tend to be more susceptible to diabetes.

A simple blood test is all that is needed to determine if someone has diabetes or not. If you are diagnosed, it means you can immediately take action to manage the condition and help avoid its worst complications. Signs you may have type 2 diabetes:

• You are unusually thirsty a lot of the time.

• You need to urinate more often.

• Your vision is blurred.

• You feel tired or lack energy.

• Infections take a long time to heal.

You may have all, some, or even none of these symptoms. To find out if you or someone in your family should get tested, visit www.diabetes.org.nz and take the free, anonymous Know Your Risk test.

“We know that diabetes affects the whole whānau,” says Ms Verry. “We are encouraging Kiwis to support family members who have been diagnosed and urge those who are at higher risk or showing symptoms to go get checked.” Know Your Risk By understanding your risk of type 2 diabetes you can help make sure you get diagnosed early if you have the condition and prevent complications long term.

Just answer the quick questions below and you will receive a score which will help with understanding your level of risk and next steps. Score 3-5:

You are probably at low risk for having type 2 diabetes now. However, you may be at a higher risk in the future. Score 6 or more:

You are at greater risk of having type 2 diabetes. Act now by visiting your health care provider to find out if you could have diabetes.