Latest news with #DiabetesAustralia
Herald Sun
07-07-2025
- Health
- Herald Sun
Compounds in coffee could help to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, study shows
Coffee is a crucial part of many of our daily routines. Now, new research has given us another reason to fill up our mugs. The only thing to get us out of bed on some freezing winter mornings, coffee really is one of life's great luxuries. Apart from warming and energising us, our daily roast has also been linked to improved heart and brain health, boosting mood, as well as a reduced risk of depression and liver disease. The list of benefits just keeps on growing, with a new study suggesting black coffee could lower our risk of type 2 diabetes. According to Diabetes Australia, close to 1.9 million Australians live with diabetes, almost 1.3 million of whom have type 2. The condition is caused by high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, and genetics, weight, activity level, a high sugar diet and some disorders can increase people's risk of developing it. Researchers from Korea pulled together data from close to 150 publications to see if coffee had an effect on the development of type 2 diabetes. They focused on the brew's effect on our pancreas, liver, small intestines, muscle and tissue. Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Image: Getty What are polyphenols? Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Regular intake has been linked to improved digestion, and brain and heart health, and the research team believed these phytonutrients could be behind coffee's potential for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. After their analysis, the scientists suggested that our daily long blacks can help to modulate blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, provide antioxidant properties and boost the metabolism of glucose. According to the findings, decaf drinkers could reap the same rewards. Image: iStock Decaf could provide the same perks And it's not just full-strength coffee providing benefits either. According to the findings, decaf drinkers could reap the same rewards. People who drank coffee regularly had a 20 to 30 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of caffeine content. But just the thought of five coffees a day conjures up images of an impending panic attack and scattered thoughts for many of us. The researchers concluded that 'coffee and its bioactive compounds, including chlorogenic acid and its hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives… have significant potential in the prevention and management of [type 2 diabetes]'. They found that three to five black coffees daily was the ideal amount to consume to benefit from these perks. But just the thought of five coffees a day conjures up images of an impending panic attack and scattered thoughts for many of us, and consuming too much caffeine can induce headaches, nausea, insomnia, and the shakes, so don't push yourself to down short blacks all day solely to reduce your diabetes risk. The team said more research into the health effects of coffee is needed, but if your desk is never without a full mug and you're looking for a reason to maintain your five a day, this could be it. Originally published as Compounds in coffee could help to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, study shows
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
'We have to pay full price': medical device would help thousands if cheaper
People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said. People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said. People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said. People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said.
7NEWS
17-06-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Sarah Di Lorenzo shares why nutrition is so important for type 2 diabetes prevention
Sarah Di Lorenzo will be talking about diabetes. More than 300 Australians develop diabetes every day. That's one person every five minutes. According to Diabetes Australia almost 1.9 million Australians have diabetes. Sarah will talk about the foods that have been scientifically proven to help with diabetes prevention and also talk about what to watch out. Recipes below: SPINACH AND RICOTTA PANCAKES Serves 4 Ingredients 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil 250 grams of frozen spinach, thawed 1 cup of almond flour ½ cup wholemeal flour 1 teaspoon of baking powder 2 eggs 200 grams of ricotta cheese 4 tablespoons of greek yoghurt Olive oil spray for cooking 1 cup of soy milk 2 red capsicum 1 chopped spring onion 1/4 cup of chopped basil (1 tablespoon per serve) Pinch of salt Method Slice the capsicum in half, remove the seeds and roast in a hot oven for around 15 - 20 minutes. Drain the spinach and add to a bowl with the flour, salt, eggs, milk, baking powder and the mix. Add the ricotta and blend. Heat a non stick pan and spray with olive oil. Add 1/3 cup of the batter to the pan and cook for around 2 minutes each side or until they look golden brown. Serve with capsicum and spring onion. Add the yoghurt to the side of the plate with the basil sprinkled over the yoghurt. Thai beef salad Serves 2 Ingredients 200 grams of steak (ideally scotch fillet) 1 red onion sliced, diced 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 1/2 a red cabbage, shredded 1 cucumber diced 1 cup of chopped coriander 1 cup of chopped mint Dressing 1 teaspoon of sesame oil Juice of 1 lime 2 cloves of garlic crushed 1 red cayenne chilli chopped finely 1 teaspoon of maple syrup 1 teaspoon of fish sauce Method Cook the steak to your liking, once rested slice the steak. Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake well. Add all the salad ingredients to a bowl and toss. Add the meat to the bowl and then the dressing. Serve and enjoy!
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Episode 4: A holistic approach to healthy ageing: eyes, ears, nutrition and lifestyle
Nick Gidas, head of clinical performance, Specsavers. Kathryn Launchbury, senior professional services manager, audiology, Specsavers. Taryn Black, chief strategy officer, Diabetes Australia. Dr Kathy Chapman, CEO, Macular Disease Foundation Australia. In the final episode of The Future Looks Bright we look at the importance of a holistic approach to health as we navigate the ageing process. We meet Dug, a 44-year-old from Sydney who is confronting natural changes to his eyesight and hearing. A lifelong musician, Dug has been playing in bands since he was 14, but has recently noticed that in noisy pubs and restaurants he struggles to hear friends talking. And he's not alone. According to the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, about 3.6 million Australians have some level of hearing loss. Kathryn Launchbury, a senior professional services manager, audiology, at Specsavers, says that once people reach their 40s and 50s, they are more susceptible to hearing loss. However, exposure to loud noises 'can also start damaging your hearing from a much earlier age than a lot of people expect'. From listening to music at high volumes to the environmental noise experienced by hairdressers, gardeners and builders, repeated and prolonged noise exposure is something we should be protecting ourselves against. In addition to eye care services, Specsavers offer free 15-minute hearing checks and comprehensive diagnostic assessments with audiology professionals. As a result of his advancing age, Dug has also experienced some deterioration in his eyesight. He wears glasses when he's working on his computer and reading, and they're something he can't do without. Nick Gidas, an optometrist and the head of clinical performance at Specsavers, says that changing vision is a natural part of ageing. 'We're born with a natural lens inside our eye that's like an autofocus in a camera,' Gidas says. '[When we get] into our 40s and 50s, usually over a 10- to 20-year period, that lens loses flexibility and it impacts how close we can bring things to see.' As we get older, we also naturally become susceptible to other eye conditions, such age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Dr Kathy Chapman is the CEO of Macular Disease Foundation Australia. She says that while AMD isn't painful, as it progresses it's like having a 'rock obscuring your view'. Understandably, this loss of central vision has a big impact on people's lives. In 2024 the foundation looked into how diet can help keep our eyes healthy. It can also be a factor in preventing type 2 diabetes. Taryn Black, the chief strategy officer at Diabetes Australia, says about 60% of all cases of type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented through diet and lifestyle. About 1.5 million Australians are living with diagnosed diabetes, Diabetes Australia says. And up to 500,000 people have type 2 diabetes but don't know it. The complications of diabetes are numerous, but changes in eyesight are often the first noticeable sign. 'We're always getting older, and people put [vision changes] down to a sign of old age,' Black says. 'But with half a million people living with undiagnosed diabetes, it's often the optometrist who's doing the eye check [who detects it first].' Just as we see a GP for regular health checkups, it's also important to see an optometrist to get regular eye health checks. While simply getting older is a risk factor for many health conditions, there are practical steps we can all take to navigate the challenges of ageing with resilience and optimism. Listen to the full series of The Future Looks Bright now [hyperlink]. The Future Looks Bright is produced by Guardian Labs Australia. Narrator: Fenella Kernebone. Series producer and editor: Cinnamon Nippard. Guardian Labs producer: Ciara Bowe. Lead commercial editor: Nicola Harvey. The Future Looks Bright is paid for by Specsavers. Find your local Specsavers store for optometry services Find your local Specsavers store for audiology services Find out more about Macular Disease Foundation Australia Diabetes Australia, support for people living with diabetes
