Flourish - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 12
Diabetes is serious
Diabetes can be managed well but the
poten琀椀al complica琀椀ons that can develop
are serious. We know diabetes:
• Is the leading cause of blindness in
working-age adults
• Is a leading cause of kidney failure
and dialysis
• Increases the risk of heart a琀琀acks and
stroke by up to four 琀椀mes
• Is a major cause of limb amputa琀椀ons
• A昀昀ects mental health as well as
physical health. Depression, anxiety
and distress occur in more than 30%
of all people with diabetes.
Early diagnosis and op琀椀mal selfmanagement and treatment have been
shown to reduce the risk of diabetesrelated complica琀椀ons.
Ways to lower or prevent your risk of
type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the fastest-growing
chronic condi琀椀on in Australia, but the
good news is, it is o昀琀en preventable.
To understand how to lower your risk,
it helps to 昀椀rst understand what factors
contribute to diabetes. There are two
main types of risk factors for diabetes:
modi昀椀able and non-modi昀椀able.
Non-modi昀椀able factors are things
you can’t change, but being aware
of them can help you make more
informed choices. They include
being over 40 years old, having a
family history of diabetes, a history
of gesta琀椀onal diabetes or polycys琀椀c
ovarian syndrome and your cultural
background. People with an Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander, Paci昀椀c Island,
Indian subcon琀椀nent or Chinese cultural
background are more suscep琀椀ble to
developing type 2 diabetes.
Modi昀椀able risk factors include
carrying excess weight; being
physically inac琀椀ve, unhealthy ea琀椀ng
habits, smoking, high blood pressure
and high levels of cholesterol or other
fats in the blood.
By focusing on the modi昀椀able
risk factors, you can signi昀椀cantly
reduce your chances of developing
type 2 diabetes.
