While there is no single cause of type 2 diabetes, there are well-established risk factors. Some of these can be changed and some cannot.

·         have a family history of diabetes

·         are older (over 55 years of age ) – the risk increases as we age

·         are over 45 years of age and are overweight

·         are over 45 years of age and have high blood pressure

·         are over 35 years of age and are from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background

·         are over 35 years of age and are from Pacific Island, Indian subcontinent or Chinese cultural background

·         are a woman who has given birth to a child over 4.5 kgs (9 lbs), or had gestational diabetes when pregnant, or had a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Your lifestyle choices can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and the good news is that research has shown type 2 diabetes can be prevented in up to 58% of cases.

·         Maintaining a healthy weight

·         Regular physical activity

·         Making healthy food choices

·         Managing blood pressure

·         Managing cholesterol levels

·         Not smoking.

What you eat can affect your health in a number of ways. For example, poor food choices may

Contribute to you beinging overweight, having high blood glucose levels if you have diabetes, raised cholesterol and blood pressure, some cancers and heart disease.

A healthy meal plan can help you to:

·         Control your blood glucose levels if you have developed diabetes

·         Control your weight

·         Improve your cholesterol levels

·         Reduce your risk of heart disease

·         Improve your general health and wellbeing.

Changing your eating habits is not easy. Any changes to your food intake should be for the long term.

Short-term diets are not recommended as you will soon return to your

Usual eating pattern. It is best to make small changes which you can continue indefinitely.

The aim of diabetes treatment is to maintain blood glucose levels within the normal range, which is between 4.0 and 6 mmol/L before meals and 4.0 and 8mmol/L two hours after meals. This will help prevent possible long-term problems that can affect the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves.Keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol within the recommended range is very important to help prevent these long-term problems. Healthy eating, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and doing regular physical activity can help you do this. Sometimes tablets and then insulin may also be needed.

A healthy meal plan and lifestyle including exercise is still your key management tools however often your doctor will prescribe medication to help your body deal with your diabetes.

These medications allow your body to function better with your diabetes but cannot replace a healthy lifestyle no form of diabetes medication cures diabetes.

·         Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness Kidney disease and Heart disease in Australia?

·         True or False?