National Diabetes Week ran from July 11 to 17 and Diabetes WA had a key message for West Australians – ‘know your diabetes risk’.
Both the City of Armadale and City of Gosnells have been identified as diabetes hotspots with potentially preventable hospitalisations 30 per cent higher than the state average within these local government boundaries.
The number of people registered with diabetes within the City of Gosnells is 8050, within the City of Armadale is 5160 and within the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale is 1340.
These numbers represent 10 per cent of all people in WA with diabetes, that are registered with the NDSS.
With a particular focus is gestational diabetes, Diabetes WA General Manager of Health Services Deborah Schofield said for every person diagnosed with diabetes, it is estimated another person remains undiagnosed and facing even bigger risks.
“In Western Australia we are especially concerned for women and children,” she said.
“Women should know their risk and parents should know their children’s risk because diabetes outcomes are devastating for both.
“Women can have undiagnosed pre-diabetes or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes before pregnancy but aren’t even aware.
“This can be diagnosed as gestational diabetes (GDM) when screened at 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy which is way too late.”
One Camillo mother had a baby two months ago and she said whilst she was aware of gestational diabetes prior to falling pregnant, she didn’t know much about it.
“It was quite overwhelming because suddenly I had to change so much about my diet and I had to count my carb intake which was hard for me having suffered an eating disorder a few years ago,” she said.
“I had to really control myself to not freak out about the number of carbs and to make sure I was still eating enough for me and my baby.
“When I was put on insulin it got a little scary but I managed.
“The worst part was controlling my diet and balancing it with my partner’s diet since his didn’t change.
“I had to be induced a week before my due date because of GDM as it can cause risks for both mum and baby to go full term.”
