Campaign launched to reduce diabetes among Indigenous Aussies

Diabetes kills and maims thousands of Australians every year and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are among those most at risk.

diabetes_test_lab_091027_B_getty_1883043367
It may be hard to believe, but a simple thumb prick to measure blood glucose levels could save your life.

The experts say the fear of getting your blood tested is nothing compared to the alarm that is being caused by the current statistics.

Two hundred and eighty people a day are diagnosed with diabetes. That's around 100 thousand people last year alone.

1.5 million Australians currently live with diabetes, and that number is growing.

And the most troubling statistic - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are three times more likely to develop the disease.

But anyone at anytime can develop diabetes, which left unmanaged will lead to other serious health conditions including, blindness, gangrene, heart disease and renal failure.

The skyrocketing statistics have prompted Diabetes Australia to start a new awareness campaign and release a national plan to target prevention, impact and complications.

Watch this video on YouTube:


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated

By Catherine Liddle

Source: NITV News


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world