According to the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS), there are 4698 people confirmed to be living with diabetes in the Port Stephens local government area.

This represents 6.3 per cent of the population, which is well above the national average of 5.3 per cent.

Of those Port Stephens residents registered with NDSS, 4157 people are living with type 2 diabetes.

It is likely there are many more living with silent, undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

In Australia, someone is diagnosed with diabetes every five minutes. 

Almost 435,000 people in NSW and the ACT are currently living with diabetes 

Diabetes is a growing health issue, which is costing Australian tax-payers over $14 billion each year.

The growing prevalence of diabetes warrants an urgent call for people to know more about the condition.  

To save lives and billions in healthcare costs, it’s time the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes were more widely recognised.

Type 2 diabetes is known as the “silent” condition because there are often no obvious signs and symptoms.

A delayed diagnosis can have a very serious impact on a person’s health and life.

Type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputation, kidney damage and heart attack in Australia.

But our data shows that if it is detected early and managed well complications like these can be prevented.

That’s why, this week we are encouraging everyone over 40 to ask their doctor for a diabetes test at their next appointment.

Diabetes NSW and ACT figures also show that one in five people with type 1 diabetes are only diagnosed after being admitted to hospital with diabetes ketoacidosis, an acute complication which can be fatal.

Diabetes doesn’t discriminate and knowing the signs and symptoms saves lives.

The next person diagnosed could be your mum or dad, partner, brother, sister or child. 

Early diagnosis leads to better management and fewer complications, which is the best outcome for everyone – the individual, the community and our economy.