Diabetes in Indigenous Australians

Diabetes, in particular, non-insulin dependent diabetes, is prevalent in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations of Australia. As many as 1 in 20 Australians are said to suffer from diabetes, and of this amount, Aboriginal people are three times as likely to succumb to this disease, in comparison to non-Aboriginal people. In contrast with type 1 diabetes, which is a predisposed autoimmune condition, type 2 diabetes or insulin-resistant diabetes, is a preventable disease, heavily influenced by a multitude of socioeconomic factors. Sufferers of the disease are consequently more susceptible to chronic health issues, including heart disease and kidney failure. Conclusively, this has contributed to the 17 year life expectancy gap between Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people

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