Just over 1.3 million (or one in 20) Australians are living with diabetes, which Carolien Koreneff, credentialled diabetes educator at Diabetes Australia, describes as “a chronic condition that affects the metabolism of carbohydrate foods in particular”.
She adds, “Carbohydrate foods get broken down to glucose. Glucose is our main energy source, but if it can’t be utilised properly then diabetes will develop.”
There are three main types of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition that is not preventable.
“In some people, the body’s immune system starts attacking the pancreas,” explains Carolien. “Once the pancreas is destroyed, a person is no longer able to produce insulin, which affects glucose metabolism. And so, people with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin injections or insulin infusions.”
Type 2 diabetes, however, can often be prevented or managed through lifestyle changes. “Type 2 diabetes is more an issue of insulin resistance. The body still produces insulin, but the insulin doesn’t work properly.”
The third main type is gestational diabetes (GDM), which occurs during pregnancy.
“Usually, it means that glucose levels are slightly above target. Those targets are very different from targets we have in type 1 and type 2 diabetes because the foetus is very sensitive to glucose.”
Alongside medication, treatment for GDM focuses on lifestyle changes.
The symptoms of diabetes, according to Carolien, include the four Ts: tired, thirsty, thinner, and toilet. She says that rising glucose levels result in the need to use the toilet more – and, because of this, people end up thirsty and tired.
For those with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes, the condition can also lead to sudden unexplained weight loss.