TAMWORTH is above the state and national average for registered diabetes sufferers per population, but the message about complications from the disease still is not cutting through.
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This week marks National Diabetes Week, and Diabetes Australia has highlighted the number of amputations administered as a result of the disease.
More than 4400 diabetes-related amputations are performed in Australian hospitals each year.
Tamworth hospital clinical nurse in diabetes, Lynne Gilks, said it was a surprising figure.
“That’s 12 people a day having an amputation,” Ms Gilks said.
“It seems shocking, but it is the fastest-growing chronic disease in the country.”
The nurse educator said there are a number of stark complications connected to diabetes including loss of vision, kidney and nerve damage and the hardening of major arteries.
Ms Gilks said people who manage their disease well could largely avoid the consequences.
It could be as simple as “eating healthy, exercising and taking medication”, she said.
Diabetes Australia said 85 per cent of amputations were preventable and Ms Gilks said being proactive was key to avoiding the loss of a limb.
“Podiatrists can assess feet and pick it up at an early stage,” she said.
“People should be looking for anything unusual and get health professionals to check ingrown toenails, corns and calluses.
“And also, avoid using commercial products which can often make the problem worse.”
According the National Diabetes Service Scheme (NDSS), there are 3531 people living with diabetes in the Tamworth local government area.
This figure makes up 5.6 per cent of the area’s population, 0.4 per cent higher than the NSW average. Ms Gilks said the figure for Tamworth was probably a bit higher, with a number of people living with the disease not registered with the NDSS.
Alzheimer’s Australia also used the awareness week to highlight the links between the chronic disease and dementia.
“It is an important time to highlight the undeniable links between diabetes and dementia,” chief executive officer Carol Bennett said.
“The risk of developing dementia in the general population is around 10 per cent.
“For people with diabetes this risk significantly increases to around 20 per cent.”
National Diabetes Week ends today.