Tackling diabetes action plan

IN response to ongoing advocacy by Diabetes Australia – Queensland, Premier Anna Bligh recently announced a $7.5 million Queensland Government diabetes action plan to tackle the disease which is threatening growing numbers of Queenslanders including young adults and even children.

The action plan included:

Free Diabetes risk assessments at Queensland Pharmacies from March 2011.

A recall system for women who develop gestational diabetes to complement the recently announced National Gestational Diabetes Register.

An Innisfail-based trial of a community based approach to diabetes prevention, early intervention and management based on a successful Finnish model and specialised training for general practitioners so they can better identify and treat the disease.

Indigenous chronic disease care program for far north Queensland.

The Health of Queenslanders Report 2010 released recently by the chief health officer Jeannette Young said 74 per cent of the diabetes burden was due to high body mass and physical inactivity.

Type 2 diabetes results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The risk is greatly increased with high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, low physical activity, poor diet and a classic ‘apple shape’ body where extra weight is carried on the waist.

It usually affects older adults but more and more younger people, even children, are getting type 2 diabetes.