Overview

Diabetes is a chronic condition marked by high levels of glucose in the blood. The main types of diabetes are type 1, type 2 and gestational. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, and is largely preventable by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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Latest findings

Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with higher diabetes (prevalence, hospitalisation and death) rates

An estimated 1.2 million Australians (4.9% of the total population) had diabetes in 2017–18, based on self-reported data

Diabetes contributed to 11% of Australian deaths in 2018 (16,700 deaths) (underlying or associated cause)

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Australian adults increased steadily from 50% in 2001 to 67% in 2017–18

Incidence rates of type 1 diabetes fluctuated between 12 and 13 cases per 100,000 population, during 2000 to 2018

Type 2 diabetes disproportionately impacts on Indigenous Australians compared with non-Indigenous Australians

Highlights

1 in 20 Australian adults (5%)—about 1.2 million people—had diabetes in 2017–18, based on self-reported data
Just over 1 in 10Australian deaths in 2018 had diabetes as an underlying or associated cause of death—16,700 deaths
Indigenous Australians were around 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 at least 2 times as high as Major cities
30,800people started using insulin in 2019 to treat their diabetes
The lowest socioeconomic areas had diabetes hospitalisation and death rates that were 2 times as high as the highest socioeconomic areas
1.2 millionhospitalisations were associated with diabetes (principal and/or additional diagnosis) in 2017–18—11% of all hospitalisations in Australia
Type 2 diabeteswas the 12th largest contributor to Australia’s disease burden in 2015 (2.2% of total burden)