Overview

Diabetes is a chronic condition marked by high levels of glucose in the blood. The main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes has been escalating over the last 3 decades, with rates tripling over this period—diabetes affected around 1.2 million people in 2017–18. Rates of diabetes are generally higher among males, the elderly, Indigenous Australians and people living in remote and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, and is largely preventable by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Latest findings

The incidence of gestational diabetes increased with the level of socioeconomic disadvantage Type 2 diabetes accounts for over half of all diabetes deaths (underlying or associated cause) In 2016–17, 32% of women with gestational diabetes received insulin treatment Diabetes death and hospitalisation rates in Remote and very remote areas were two-times the rate in Major cities Women with gestational diabetes were more likely to be diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and hypertension Type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes accounted for 2.2% and 0.3% of Australia's disease burden in 2015 Over 1 million hospitalisations were associated with diabetes in 2016–17 (principal and/or additional diagnosis) In 2016–17, gestational diabetes affected 15% of all women aged 15–49 who gave birth in hospital—over 40,800 women Women with gestational diabetes experienced higher intervention rates for labour and delivery Women aged 45–49 were 4 times as likely to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes as women aged 15–19 Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with higher diabetes (prevalence, hospitalisation and death) rates An estimated 1.2 million (6%) Australian adults had diabetes in 2017–18, based on self-reported data Diabetes contributed to 11% of Australian deaths in 2017 (17,000 deaths) (underlying or associated cause) In 2016–17, over half (56%) of women with gestational diabetes managed the condition without medication

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Highlights

1 in 17 Australian adults (6%)—about 1.2 million people—had diabetes in 2017–18, based on self-reported data
Just over 1 in 10Australian deaths in 2017 had diabetes as an underlying and/or associated cause of death—17,000 deaths
Indigenous Australians were 4 times as likely to have type 2 diabetes prevalence, hospitalisation and death rates as non-Indigenous Australians
Remote and very remoteareas had diabetes hospitalisation and death rates that were 2 times as high as Major cities
29,800people started using insulin in 2017 to treat their diabetes
The lowest socioeconomic group had diabetes hospitalisation and death rates that were 2 times as high as the highest socioeconomic group
1.2 millionhospitalisations were associated with diabetes (principal and/or additional diagnosis) in 2016–17—10% of all hospitalisations in Australia
Type 2 diabeteswas the 12th largest contributor to Australia’s disease burden in 2015 (2.2% of total burden)