4724.0.55.001 - Diabetes in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, 2004-05  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/03/2009   
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DIABETES IN ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE

About six out of every 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (or 6%) reported diabetes or high sugar levels (HSL) as a long-term health condition.

Indigenous people living in remote areas had higher rates of diabetes or HSL (9%) than those living in non-remote areas (5%), such as major cities and towns.


Indigenous people with diabetes (or HSL), 2004-05
Graph: Indigenous people who reported diabetes (or HSL) sex & remoteness, 2004–05



Diabetes rates for males and females

Indigenous females were more likely than Indigenous males to have diabetes or HSL with seven out of every 100 Indigenous females (or 7%) affected, compared to 5% of Indigenous males.

Ten percent of Indigenous females living in remote areas had diabetes or HSL; nearly double the rate for Indigenous females living in non-remote areas (6%). The same pattern occurred for males (8% compared to 4%).

Age of Indigenous people with diabetes (or HSL), 2004-05
Graph: Indigenous people who reported diabetes (or HSL) by sex and age, 2004–05



Diabetes and age

The prevalence of diabetes or HSL increases with age. Of Indigenous people aged 65 years and over, 36% had diabetes or HSL. In contrast, the rate for those aged 0 to 24 years old was only 1%.