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 Incidence rates were higher in males than females in both type 1 and insulin-treated type 2 diabetes Incidence rates vary across Australia—2–3 times as high as the national average in some smaller geographical areas 91% of new cases of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes occurred in people aged 40 and over 3 in 5 (60%) people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were under the age of 25 27,716 people began using insulin to treat their diabetes in Australia in 2016 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. Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with higher diabetes (prevalence, hospitalisation and death) rates

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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