The ACT Liberal Party has today announced a $4.4 million election commitment for type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes prevention and awareness.

Diabetes Australia has welcomed the commitment to deliver a type 2 diabetes prevention program similar to initiatives run by Diabetes Australia in Queensland and New South Wales, and a gestational diabetes community education campaign.

Diabetes Australia Group CEO, Justine Cain, said this commitment was good news for the ACT and the organisation would welcome a matched commitment from the Labor Government.

“Type 2 diabetes prevention programs are proven and powerful, and we need every government to prioritise them,” Ms Cain said.

“Over the past decade, the total number of Australians living with all types diabetes has risen by 32%.

“Right now in the ACT, over 16,000 people are living with type 2 diabetes, and nearly 1000 more are living with gestational diabetes.

“Unfortunately, diabetes is the leading cause of many costly and debilitating complications including vision loss, amputation, kidney failure and heart disease. It is the underlying cause of death in around 11% of all deaths in Australia.

“Prevention programs like those Diabetes Australia delivers in other states are at the frontline of efforts to help combat Australia’s diabetes epidemic,” she said.

Investment in high-risk prevention has been proven cost effective with every $1 invested generating savings of $14.

Research shows type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in up to 58% of cases if people are provided with access to appropriate healthcare and support.

“That’s why the commitment to establish a local prevention program here in the ACT to connect people who are at risk of type 2 diabetes with basic health coaching and support is so important,” Ms Cain said.

Prevention of gestational diabetes is also critical for the health of mothers and babies. Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of the mother and the baby developing type 2 diabetes later in life, with women who have previously been diagnosed with gestational diabetes seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Children born to mothers with gestational diabetes are also at higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.

Diabetes Australia has a strong track record in delivering prevention programs in the community. The My Health for Life preventative health program in Queensland has delivered successful results including:

• 50% of participants met and continue to meet physical activity guidelines
• 66% of participants reported reduced wait circumference
• 50% of participants reported improved quality of life

About type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body becomes resistant to the normal effects of insulin and gradually loses the capacity to produce enough insulin in the pancreas.

The condition has strong genetic and family-related (non-modifiable) risk factors and is also often associated with modifiable lifestyle risk factors.

Type 2 diabetes can cause serious complications to all systems of the body. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working age adults; the leading cause of kidney failure and dialysis; it increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke by up to four times; it is a major cause of limb amputations; and it affects a person’s mental health.

About gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurs during pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes can still have a healthy baby but it is important that gestational diabetes is managed to reduce the risk of developing complications during pregnancy.  

Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of the mother and the baby developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when higher than normal blood glucose levels first appear during pregnancy. Most women with gestational diabetes will no longer have diabetes after the baby is born.

About Diabetes Australia

Diabetes Australia is the national organisation supporting all people living with or at risk of diabetes. We put people first. We work in collaboration with member organisations, consumers, health professionals, researchers and the community.

For more information visit: www.diabetesaustralia.com.au

Media: Monica Rostron 0409 126 332 mrostron@diabetesaustralia.com.au

Diabetes across the country has hit a crisis point according to a new report released today by Diabetes Australia.  

The 2024 State of the Nation report – launched at an event at New South Wales Parliament – shows the diabetes epidemic shows no sign of abating, with alarming rates of type 2 diabetes diagnosis in younger people. 

In the last decade Australia has seen a 44% increase in the number of people diagnosed with diabetes between the ages of 21 and 39, and a 17% increase in diagnosis before the age of 20. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are experiencing the world’s highest rates of youth-onset type 2 diabetes, with the prevalence in 15 – 24 year olds doubling over the past five years. 

Diabetes Australia Group CEO Justine Cain said it was deeply concerning that Australia has no national diabetes prevention plan in place.  

“The current state of play is failing our young people,” Ms Cain said. 

“We need urgent action to prioritise diabetes prevention, and the prevention of diabetes complications.

“The diabetes epidemic is growing at an alarming rate – more than 300 people are being diagnosed every day.  

“For decades there have been calls for a national diabetes prevention plan, and today – with an estimated 2 million Australians living with the condition – we still don’t have one.  

“Prevention is the only thing that will protect future generations of Australians from the costly impact of living with type 2 diabetes,” Ms Cain said.  

Diabetes Australia’s report comes at a critical time in the national conversation about diabetes, with a Federal parliamentary inquiry expected to hand down its findings soon.   

“We need to see bold recommendations from the Parliamentary Committee that will help our country stem the tide of the diabetes epidemic,” Ms Cain said.  

“Greater investment in initiatives to prevent type 2 diabetes and to prevent the devastating complications of all types of diabetes is the key.” 

The State of the Nation includes 25 recommendations covering prevention, treatment, more support for vulnerable communities and greater investment in research.  

Among them are recommendations regarding the introduction of a 20% health levy on sugar-sweetened beverages as a population-wide diabetes prevention measure; the promotion of type 2 diabetes remission; the introduction of a national diabetes kidney screening program; and an urgent increase in funding for diabetes research.  

The report also recommends the introduction of a new training program for aged care staff supporting residents living with diabetes; the development of a strategic plan to grow the diabetes health workforce; and MBS rebates for general practice visits that are focused on diabetes prevention and screening.  

View the full State of the Nation 2024 report.

The leading public health organisations engaged with Rethink Sugary Drink are standing in solidarity with the Australian Medical Association (AMA), who has renewed its call for Australia to introduce a health levy on sugary drinks in a new report.

AMA’s Why tax sugary drinks? report highlights that Australia is lagging behind 85 countries and jurisdictions across the globe that already have a health levy in place, as well as the evidence which shows the policy can effectively reduce demand for and consumption of sugary drinks.

Craig Sinclair, Director of Prevention at Cancer Council Victoria, said that introducing a levy on sugary drinks can help improve Australian’s oral health and reduce obesity – a major risk factor for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

“Australians drink more than 2.4 billion litres of sugary drinks every year. A health levy on sugary drinks could hit two birds with one stone – it sends a price signal to consumers that the product is unhealthy while encouraging manufacturers to reduce the amount of sugar packed into their products,” Mr Sinclair said.

“Australian research estimates that a 20% health levy on sugary drinks would result in 16,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, 4,400 fewer cases of heart disease and 1,100 fewer cases of stroke over a 25-year period.”

In addition to helping prevent chronic disease and promote better oral health, evidence shows that a health levy on sugary drinks would also be supported widely by the community.

“Year on year, we see the processed food companies spend millions pushing these sugary drinks onto consumers. They prioritise their profits above the community’s health.”

“Yet we know more than 3 in 4 people (77%) would support a sugary drink levy if funds raised were reinvested into obesity prevention efforts,” said Mr Sinclair.

Countries that have successfully implemented the levy abroad include Mexico, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. In Mexico, a levy introduced in 2014 led to a 37% reduction in the number of sugar sweetened beverages purchased in 2016. A levy introduced in the UK in 2018 led to many brands reformulating the amount of added sugar in their products.

Mr Sinclair said that in the Australian context, a levy would particularly benefit teenagers and young adults, especially men, who are currently the biggest cohort of sugary drink consumers.

“Some young people consume as much as 1.5 litres of sugary drinks per day. This price-sensitive audience would be especially responsive to a levy and their health will be better off in the long-run because of it.

“With estimates suggesting that a 20% health levy could generate $814 million annually, there are clear health and economic benefits that we can no longer ignore.”

“It’s a win-win. Government must take action now to protect the health of all Australians.”

Rethink Sugary Drink is a partnership between 20 leading public health organisations across Australia, including Cancer Council Victoria and the Australian Medical Association, who are all committed to tackling the overconsumption of sugary drinks.

Visit www.rethinksugarydrink.org.au for more information as well as facts, tips and resources to help you or someone you know cut back on their sugar consumption.

Type 2 diabetes could be predicted up to 19 years in advance, claim researchers at Lund University in Sweden. The researchers identified high levels of a particular protein in the blood, called follistatin, as a predictor of a person’s likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (regardless of other risk factors).

“This study shows that follistatin has the potential to become an important biomarker to predict future type 2 diabetes, and it also brings us one step closer to the understanding of the mechanisms behind the disease,” said Dr. Yang De Marinis, associate professor at Lund University and lead author of the study. 

Follistatin helps break down body fat, which in turn increases fat build-up in the liver that can lead to fatty liver and type 2 diabetes. Since follistatin levels fluctuate according to food consumption and activity levels, Dr. Yang De Marinis emphasises the usual advice for preventing diabetes: “Balanced meals, eat[ing] healthy and regular exercise.” 

Next, the team are looking to develop a diagnostic tool using artificial intelligence that could assess a person’s blood and determine a ‘risk score’ for diabetes based on follistatin (and other biomarker) levels. 

The full findings of this follistatin study can be accessed here. 

Key Messages

• Researchers in Sweden discover that type 2 diabetes could be predicted up to 19 years in advance (regardless of age, weight, or activity levels) by measuring levels of a blood protein called follistatin.
• Follistatin helps break down body fat, which in turn increases fat build-up in the liver that can lead to fatty liver and type 2 diabetes. 
• Follistatin levels fluctuate according to food consumption and activity levels, so it is suggested to follow healthy eating and exercise recommendations to prevent diabetes onset.
• Next, researchers are hoping to develop an AI-generated diagnostic tool using follistatin levels as a measurement for diabetes susceptibility.

A sixteen-year study conducted in Finland, and involving over five thousand participants, has found links between the presence of certain gut bacteria and the development of type-2 diabetes.

The participants who did not live with type 2 diabetes at the beginning of the study were followed in the interest of learning more about the links between gut microbiota, the ‘signatures’ or signs within gut bacteria, and the potential for the prediction of metabolic conditions such as type-2 diabetes.

Gut microbiota (also known as gut microbiome) are the trillions of microorganisms, such as bacteria, healthy parasites, and fungi, that live in our digestive systems. In a healthy body, these ‘bugs’ live together peacefully and play an important role in the absorption of key vitamins as well as helping to protect from contaminated food and water.

The long-term nature of the study, published in Diabetes Care, enabled the researchers to identify signposts within this gut microbiome that could then predict the development of type-2 diabetes.

The researchers found six digestive bacterial groups that were linked to an increased risk of the development of type-2 diabetes. These bacterial groups have previously been linked to type-2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions, and, according to the study’s main author Pande Erawijantari, seem partly linked to dietary habits.

Attention to the microbiome has grown in recent years, as its links to the immune system, digestion, and other aspects of the body have been studied in more detail. Diet plays a large part in the cultivation of a healthy gut microbiome, with a meal plan that emphasises fibre, prebiotics, and probiotics a key way to keeping our gut bacteria happy and thriving. If we think of our microbiome as a garden, the food we eat is the fertiliser it needs to perform well.

Prebiotics— foods that help feedthe gut bacteria— include alliums (the garlic, onion, and leek family), oats and barley, bananas, apples, and asparagus. Probiotics— foods that help introduce fresh live bacteria into the digestive environment— include live fermented foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, and some types of cheese such as Gouda, fresh mozzarella, cottage cheese, and cheddar.

Building upon previous research in this area, the researchers concluded that their findings further supported the links between dietary habits, the gut microbiome, and type-2 diabetes, as well as potentially provide a way in which early signs of type-2 diabetes can be uncovered in the body.

The study in full can be found here

Key points

• A long-term study undertaken in Finland has found a link between gut microbiome composition and the development of type 2 diabetes. This link could help improve prediction of type-2 diabetes in adults.
• The health of your gut microbiome, and the bacteria present within it, is influenced by your diet. Fibre, prebiotics, and probiotics are great things to add into your diet to keep your gut microbiome flourishing.
•  This study supports previous research in the area, as more and more work is done around the links between the gut microbiome and conditions in the rest of the body.

In the continuing research around what might cause the development of type-2 diabetes, a recent paper published in Nature Communications turns to a mysterious spontaneous reaction in the proteins inside the pancreas. In particular, the paper studies one, ordinarily helpful molecule, that transforms into a distinctly unhelpful one.

The molecule is known as human islet amyloid (hIAPP), but through the changes that occur to it, its name and make up to become an abnormal protein ‘clump’ known as an amyloid fibril.

A build-up of these amyloid fibrils is often seen in people living with type-2 diabetes.

Working alongside insulin inside the pancreas, our digestive systems need hIAPP to regulate blood glucose levels and the amount of food in the stomach. When hIAPP malfunctions, it can become clumps of these amyloid fibrils, which then begin to attack and kill the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Once a mysterious occurrence in the body, a research team at the University of Leeds has managed to identify the step-by-step changes that happen in the molecule and result in its toxic transformation.

On top of this, they also claim to have discovered two compounds, known as molecule modulators, which can control the transformation of this molecule. They say that one of the compounds delays the change from hIAPP to amyloid fibril, while the other speeds it up.

Understanding these compounds is an important step in the development of medicine that could stop or control amyloid fibril formation, and thus help in the treatment of type-2 diabetes.

Supervisor of the research, Professor Sheen Radford, is understandably excited by the findings.

‘This is an exciting and huge step forward in our quest to understand and treat … and tackle a major health issue that is growing at an alarming rate.’

‘The compounds we have discovered are a first and important step towards small molecule intervention in a disease that has foxed scientists for generations.’

Beyond its impact on the development of type-2 diabetes, the presence of amyloid fibrils is also believed to be linked to a range of other conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.

‘The results are hugely exciting as they open the door to using the same type of approaches to understanding other amyloid diseases, the vast majority of which currently lack any treatments’, Radford says.

For thirty years, this transformation has been something that scientists have sought to understand. This study’s findings are an exciting step forward in developing more knowledge around the onset of type-2 diabetes.

The study in full can be found here.

Key points

• There is a molecule in the pancreas (known as hIAPP) that, upon malfunction, can negatively impact insulin production in the pancreas. People with type-2 diabetes are found to have a build-up of the malfunctioning molecules.
• The mysteries around this malfunction have been unpicked by a team at the University of Leeds, who have discovered the ways in which the molecule transforms, as well as compounds that slow down and speed up the change.
• These discoveries can help in the development of medicine for halting or controlling this malfunction, and thus helping to treat type-2 diabetes.

Insulin resistance is the process where the body stops responding to insulin like it should. It can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Researchers hope that a better understanding of the process of insulin resistance could pave the way for new treatments to help prevent the condition.

With the help of a Diabetes Australia Research Trust grant Dr James Krycer from the University of Sydney is studying the way glucose is processed in the body and believes that could help us better understand insulin resistance.

“Most studies of insulin resistance look at how glucose is transported into tissues within the body after it is consumed in a meal, however we have exciting data that suggests the way glucose is processed within tissues may be just as important,” Dr Krycer said.

“Using a new technique known as metabolomics we are able to see how the body processes glucose whether that is burning it for energy or storing it away in the form of fat or glycogen.

“Understanding how this change during insulin resistance can help us develop targeted strategies that improve the way the body processes glucose.”

Find out how you can support research like Dr Krycer’s here.