How many Australians have diabetes?

In the 2004-05 National Health Survey, 699,600 Australians (3.5% of the population) reported having diabetes. Based on the 1999-2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study, around one million Australians are estimated to have diabetes with the number expecting to increase over the coming decade. Rates of Type 2 diabetes in some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are among the highest in the world. In some Indigenous communities as many as one third of the population may have diabetes.

The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases with age. Nearly 1 in 4 people aged 75 and over have Type 2 diabetes compared to less than 1 in 1,000 people in their 20s. However, rates of diabetes are increasing in all age groups. You can help reduce your risk by maintaining a healthy weight, doing regular exercise, and eating a balanced diet.