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Diabetes
- » What is diabetes?
- » The burden of diabetes in Australia
- » Diabetes as a National Health Priority Area (NHPA)
- » NHMRC funding into diabetes research
- » References
What is diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrine disorder in which the body cannot maintain normal glucose levels in the blood and cells. Glucose transport in the blood to the body's cells is regulated by the hormone insulin. In uncontrolled diabetes, the body cannot produce enough insulin, or is unable to use it properly. This causes a build-up of glucose in the bloodstream and inadequate supply of glucose to the cells. This can lead to a range of disturbances affecting the heart, brain, kidneys and other parts of the body.
There are actually several types of diabetes, with different causal mechanisms. The three main types are Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is marked by a total or near-total lack of insulin. It results from the body destroying its own insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. People with this form of diabetes require daily insulin therapy. It is the most common cause of childhood diabetes and accounts for 10-15% of all people with diabetes in Australia. Around 0.2-0.3% of the Australian population have Type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is marked by reduced levels of insulin, or the inability of the body to use insulin properly (insulin resistance). The disease is most common among people aged 45 and over, and accounts for 85-90% of all people with diabetes. According to the AusDiab survey, conducted in 1999-2000, more than 7% of Australians aged 25 years or over have Type 2 diabetes. Many people with this form of diabetes eventually need insulin therapy to control their blood glucose levels.
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy in about 3-8% of females not previously diagnosed with diabetes. It is a transient form of diabetes and usually disappears after the baby is born. However, it is a marker of increased risk to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life. Some women with this type of diabetes need insulin therapy to control their blood glucose levels.
The burden of diabetes in Australia
More than one million Australians are diabetic. As the sixth leading cause of death in Australia, diabetes is responsible for significant personal and economic burden. In 2003 alone, diabetes was responsible for 5.5% of the total burden of disease and injury in Australia. 85% of the diabetes burden was due to the disease itself and the remaining 15% caused by the complications of being diabetic. Diabetes is a particular issue for Indigenous Australians, as they are four times more likely to develop diabetes than non-indigenous Australians.
Diabetes as a National Health Priority Area (NHPA)
In recognition of diabetes’ impact on the Australian community and the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes as overweight and obesity rates increase, Australian health ministers made diabetes mellitus a National Health Priority Area in 1997. [2]
NHMRC funding into diabetes research
NHMRC has invested over $188.5 million for research related to diabetes from 2000 to 2007.
| Year | Funding ($m) |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.4 |
| 2001 | 14.0 |
| 2002 | 18.4 |
| 2003 | 19.8 |
| 2004 | 21.6 |
| 2005 | 27.2 |
| 2006 | 42.2 |
| 2007 | 118.6 |
» More information on diabetes-related grants
References
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2008), Australia's Health 2008
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (1998), First report on the national health priority areas - full report