MEDIA RELEASE 	Media embargo – 9 December 2009
Australia – obese and diabetic (200 words)
Up to three million Australians could have diabetes by the year 2025.
This is the finding of a study published in the December issue of Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health and led by Dianna Magliano from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.
“If obesity and diabetes incidence continues to rise, and mortality continues to decline, the figure could be close to three million,” said Dr Magliano.
“There are four main reasons why diabetes is on the rise. We are living longer, obesity has increased, fewer people are dying as a result of diabetes, and we are seeing more immigration from countries with a higher prevalence of diabetes.”
The study looked at the implications of using different methods to predict diabetes prevalence for the future.
“Governments need to know how big a problem is in order to formulate a response,” said Dr Magliano.
“Being able to measure current and projected impact, in terms of disease burden and costs, helps to shape the resources a government is prepared to commit to the problem.”
Although there were some variations in assumptions and methods between different studies analysed in this paper, all predictions demonstrated that diabetes is an escalating problem for Australia.
ENDS
For more information about this research, contact the research author: 
Dianna Magliano, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, 250 Kooyong Road, Caulfield, Victoria, 3162.  
Phone: 03 9258 5090; Mobile: 0425 706 637; e-mail: dianna.magliano@bakeridi.edu.au
MEDIA ONLY: To receive a PDF of the paper or for more information about ANZJPH, contact: Bridget Hooper ANZJPH Administration
Ph: (03) 9329 3535 E-mail: bridget.hooper@substitution.com.au
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health is published by the Public Health Association of Australia. Information on the Association and the Journal can be found at http://www.phaa.net.au