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Diabetes and Aged Care

Diabetes is one of the leading threats to the health of Australians. It is a large health, social and economic burden for individuals with the disease, their families and the community.

Soft drinks add to diabetes and heart disease factors

Soft drinks including diet versions may be linked with increased risk factors for diabetes and heart disease according to new US research published in the journal Circulation.

The study found that adults who drank one or more soft drinks a day had around a 50% higher risk of metabolic syndrome which includes excessive fat around the waist, low levels of “good” cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other symptoms.

Prior studies had linked consumption of sugar-laden soft drinks with multiple risk factors for heart disease but the US study found the link also extended to diet drinks.

They had a 30% increased risk of developing a bigger waist, which had been shown to predict heart disease risk better than weight alone.

But the American Heart Association, which publishes Circulation, said that the study did not demonstrate that diet soft drinks caused heart disease and that it could still be better to have a diet drink than a full-calories soft drink. The association said it supported a dietary pattern which included low-calories beverages like water, diet soft drinks, and fat-free or low-fat milk as better choices than full-calories soft drinks.

Blood pressure and diabetes research announced during National Diabetes Week

Results from largest ever study on type 2 diabetes could have huge implications for patients.

A landmark, six-year trial has now closed the part of the study that aims to investigate the effect of blood pressure lowering, on the risk of macro- and micro- vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Coinciding with National diabetes Week, which runs from 8-14 July, the data from this blood pressure component of the ADVANCE study, will now be analysed by the leaders of the study here in Australia and presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting (1-5 September 2007).

More than 600,000 Australians are affected by diabetes, and globally it has been estimated that the number of individuals with diabetes will rise from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030.

It is associated with increased risks of micro vascular complications, including retinopathy, nephrophy and neuropathy.

It also increases the risks of macro vascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

ADVANCE is the largest clinical trial ever performed in patients with type 2 diabetes, involving over 11,000 randomised patients worldwide, and will provide important information about the separate and joint effects of blood pressure lowering, and intensive blood glucose lowering regimen, compared with standard care in a broad cross-section of high-risk individuals with type 2 diabetes.

For more information visit Advance and the George Institute.