19 July 2024

Did you know that almost 1.9 million Australians have diabetes, with approximately 300 Australians developing diabetes every day?

Treating diabetes requires an elevated level of clinical knowledge to understand and help patients with complex health conditions and needs. At Austin Health, we have Diabetes Clinical Nurse Consultants who support and assist people living with diabetes and their families.

To mark National Diabetes Week, we caught up with Lisa Roberts, one of our Diabetes Clinical Nurse Consultants.

Lisa has been a Diabetes Clinical Nurse Consultant at Austin Health since 2007. Her role includes delivering education and training to develop the required practical skills in patients to support self-management of diabetes.

“National Diabetes week is particularly important to raise awareness about all types of diabetes. Early detection of diabetes is critical to prevent short and long-term complications and to improve health outcomes of people living with diabetes,” Lisa advocates.

We asked Lisa to cut through the confusion around diabetes and answer some frequently asked questions:

What is a common misunderstanding when it comes to understanding diabetes?

The most common misunderstanding is that diabetes is "not that serious". All types of diabetes are serious and can lead to complications if not effectively managed.

What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a health condition where the immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that create insulin. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented or cured.

Type 2 diabetes is where the body cannot respond to insulin properly or does not make enough leading to high sugar in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is progressive meaning treatment options need to escalate over time. Some people with Type 2 diabetes can go into remission by adapting a healthy lifestyle consisting of regular exercise, eating a balanced diet and living within a healthy weight range.

What are some symptoms of diabetes?

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes are fatigue, increased frequency of urination, extreme thirst and weight loss.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be absent for 5 to 10 years pre diagnosis and many patients may be diagnosed unexpectedly when presenting to hospital with another condition. Once sugar levels have been elevated for some time with type 2 diabetes, symptoms of thirst, frequency of urination, blurred vision and tiredness may develop.

Do you have to be overweight or obese to develop diabetes?

No. Often people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are within the healthy weight range.

Being above the healthy weight range increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, it is important to note that Type 2 diabetes can still occur in those within the healthy weight range. Weight is only one of many factors that contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Does having a diabetes diagnosis mean I have to go on insulin?

With type 1 diabetes, the body stops making insulin and insulin is needed for life.

With type 2 diabetes, it depends. In some cases, either the body does not make enough insulin or the body’s insulin does not work well, resulting in insulin being needed to control the blood sugar levels.

What is a food group you should avoid if you have diabetes?

We recommend all people with diabetes see a dietitian so they can provide expert nutrition and dietary advice to suit individual health needs. The Mediterranean diet is generally the most suitable diet to follow as it encourages the consumption of vegetables, fruits, grains, seafood, lean meats, beans and nuts all which constitute a balanced diet.