With the results at hand that Queensland Diabetes Rate sky rockets and is the highest in the nation it should be enough to make all Queenslander’s sit up and take notice or become another statistic in their state.
Rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes rose 37 per cent in Queensland in the past four years, compared with a national growth rate of 22 per cent, according to Diabetes Australia’s Queensland arm.
The not-for-profit organisation’s policy manager Peter Anderson says the state’s high indigenous population, growing levels of obesity and status as a retirement destination were probably behind the worrying figures.
“While we might not lead the country with (levels of) overweight and obesity or indigenous population, I think when you combine all those risk factors together it does make Queensland stand out,” he told AAP.
Two per cent of Queenslander’s now have type 2 diabetes at an estimated annual cost to the health system of $10,000 per person.
Queenslanders’ addiction to fast food and television along with our busy lifestyles were partly to blame, Mr Anderson said, adding that about 63 per cent of the state’s adults were overweight or obese.
But it’s not completely our own fault.
According to Mr Anderson, we’re living in an “obesogenic environment” in which unhealthy food is cheaper and easier to access than healthy food.
“Coca Cola in many supermarkets is actually cheaper than milk… people are going to the shop with not very much money and they can buy unhealthy food much more cheaply than the healthy food,” he said.
Read the full story: http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/
I really believe this last statement made from Mr Anderson is not entirely true to say unhealthy food is cheaper than a home cooked meal this is absolute rubbish it all comes down to educating people about quality food choices along with encouraging exercise and movement.
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