Results of a survey released by the Victorian Health Intelligence Unit show that around one in 20 adult Victorians has diabetes.

 

The Victorian Health Monitor, a biomedical risk factor survey and diet and nutrition survey conducted for the first time in Victoria, provides prevalence estimates in the Victorian population of chronic diseases and associated biomedical, nutritional and lifestyle-related risk factors.

 

Key findings on diabetes show:

  • The prevalence of diabetes was 4.6 per cent for all Victorians in 2009–2010. The prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes were 0.6 per cent and 4.0 per cent, respectively;
  • A further 4.3 per cent of Victorians were at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes; and
  • The prevalence of diabetes was higher in those who were physically inactive and those who sat for more than eight hours a day, as well as people who were obese and those with hypertension.

 

The Victorian Government is investing $22.2 million over four years for the Life! Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program which  provides Victorians 50 years and over at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes with the skills and motivation to adopt a healthier lifestyle through effective lifestyle changes.

 

It has also developed the first ever Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan to fight rising rates of The Prevention Community Model (PCM) — a jointly funded initiative of the State Government of Victoria and the Australian Government —aims to improve health and reduce health disparities in selected Victorian communities by addressing the underlying causes of chronic preventable disease.

 

Operating across 14 local government areas, the PCM will reach over 1.3 million Victorians, through schools, early childhood services, workplaces and the broader community.