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 2014–15. 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.

More reports and statistics relating to diabetes can be found under Chronic disease, Chronic kidney disease and Heart, stroke & vascular disease.

Latest findings

There were 16,400 Australian deaths in 2015 due to diabetes, with half of these (55%) due to type 2 diabetes 2,742 people were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes —12 cases per 100,000 population Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with higher diabetes (prevalence, hospitalisation and death) rates In 2017, there were 29,797 people who began using insulin to treat their diabetes in Australia 17,358 people use insulin to manage their type 2 diabetes —4,121 cases per 100,000 type 2 diabetes registrants Diabetes death and hospitalisation rates were twice as high in Remote and very remote areas than in Major cities There were 1 million hospitalisations associated with diabetes (principal and/or additional diagnosis) in 2015–16. 1,665 (61%) people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were under the age of 25

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Highlights

1 in 17 Australian adults (6%)—about 1.2 million people—had diabetes in 2014–15, based on self-reported data
28,800people started using insulin in 2015 to treat their diabetes
1 in 10Australian deaths in 2014 had diabetes as an underlying and/or associated cause of death—15,740 deaths
The lowest socioeconomic group has diabetes hospitalisation and death rates that are 2 times as high as the highest socioeconomic group
Indigenous Australians are around 4 times as likely to have type 2 diabetes prevalence, hospitalisation and death rates as non-Indigenous Australians
1 millionhospitalisations were associated with diabetes (principal and/or additional diagnosis) in 2014–15—10% of all hospitalisations in Australia
Remote and very remoteareas have diabetes hospitalisation and death rates that are 2 times as high as Major cities