Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body cannot produce enough insulin, a hormone essential for converting glucose into energy. If poorly managed, diabetes can lead to additional health complications, such as heart attack, stroke, and limb amputation[1].

In 2020, diabetes was ranked seventh in the leading causes of death in Australia with 5,148 deaths[2]. In 2018, Type 2 diabetes was the twelfth leading contributor (2.3%) to Australia’s total disease burden (fatal and non-fatal)[3].

One in twenty (5.3%) people had diabetes in 2020-21.

• Rates were similar for males and females (5.7% and 4.9%)
• The rate of diabetes increased with age from 10.3% for people aged 55-64 years to 14.9% for people aged 65-74 years
• Almost one in five (19.2%) people over 75 years had diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes was the most common type of diabetes (85.5%), followed by Type 1 diabetes (11.0%) and type not known by person reporting (4.1%). (This analysis excludes gestational diabetes).

In 2020-21, people:

• Born overseas were more likely than those born in Australia to have diabetes (7.0% compared to 4.7%)
• Living in areas of most disadvantage were more likely than those living in areas of least disadvantage to have diabetes (6.3% compared to 4.0%)
• With disability were more likely than those without disability to have diabetes (10.5% compared to 3.3%).

Treatment of diabetes aims to prevent complications by controlling blood glucose levels and helping insulin to work more effectively[4]. More than three quarters (76.1%) of people with diabetes took one or more actions to manage their condition:

• One in five (22.3%) took insulin daily
• More than six in ten (63.7%) changed their eating pattern or diet
• Three in ten (31.9%) exercised most days
• One in ten (10.9%) were not taking current action to manage their diabetes.

Additionally, seven in ten (69.9%) had their feet checked at least once a year and three in ten (30.4%) checked their glucose levels daily.

This analysis refers to people who reported having ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they had diabetes and excludes gestational diabetes. People who considered their condition not to be current or long term are included in this analysis. This analysis refers only to people with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and type unknown.

1. Diabetes Australia, ‘What is diabetes?’, https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/what-is-diabetes/; accessed 16/02/2022.
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, ‘Causes of Death, Australia’, https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/2020; accessed 01/02/2022.
3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Australian Burden of Disease Study’, https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/5ef18dc9-414f-4899-bb35-08e239417694/aihw-bod-29.pdf.aspx?inline=true; accessed 08/03/2021.
4. Diabetes Australia, ‘Managing type 2 diabetes’, https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/living-with-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/managing-type-2/; accessed 16/02/2022.

This release previously used catalogue number 4364.0.00.006. 

17/06/2022 – This release contains:

Additional data cubes in the data downloads (table 12). This includes information on the number of chronic conditions and comorbidity of selected chronic conditions.

Correction to a footnote in table 1.

Data revision to ‘Usual sugar drink consumption’, ‘Usual diet drink consumption’, and ‘Does not usually consume sugar sweetened or diet drinks’ in table 4.

21/07/2022 – This release contains:

Data revision to ‘Family composition of household’ in table 3.

See National Health Survey 2020-21 Media release for more information.