Diabetes Type 2

What is Diabetes Type 2• Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all people with

diabetes. While it usually affects older adults, more and younger people, even children, are getting type 2 diabetes.

• In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas makes some insulin but it is not produced in the amount your body needs and it does not work effectively.

• Type 2 diabetes results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Although there is a strong genetic predisposition, the risk is greatly increased when associated with lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, insufficient physical activity, poor diet and the classic ‘apple shape’ body where extra weight is carried around the waist.

• Type 2 diabetes can often initially be managed with healthy eating and regular physical activity. However, over time most people with type 2 diabetes will also need tablets and many will also need insulin. It is important to note that this is just the natural progression of the disease, and taking tablets or insulin as soon as they are required can result in fewer complications in the long-term.

• However, there is currently no cure for type 2 diabetes.

Cause of Type 2 Diabetes• 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.• You are at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes if you: 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, or had gestational

diabetes when pregnant, or had a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes• In type 2 diabetes, many people have no symptoms at all, while other signs are

dismissed as a part of ‘getting older’. By the time type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, the complications of diabetes may already be present. Symptoms include:

Being excessively thirsty Passing more urine Feeling tired and lethargic Always feeling hungry Having cuts that heal slowly Itching, skin infections Blurred vision Gradually putting on weight Mood swings Headaches Feeling dizzy Leg cramps

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

• It is estimated that up to 60% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented. People at risk of type 2 diabetes can delay and even prevent this disease by following a healthy lifestyle. This includes:

Maintaining a healthy weight Regular physical activity Making healthy food choices Managing blood pressure Managing cholesterol levels Not smoking

• While there is currently no cure for type 2 diabetes, the disease can be managed through lifestyle modifications and medication

Managing Type 2 Diabetes

Identify Examples• Diabetes Act! On; This is a campaign pamphlet for health

professionals informing them how to take measurements of their patient’s weight and find out whether they are at a risk of developing diabetes.

• http://www.healthpromotion.com.au/Documents/CIM/Diabetes_Australia_waist_circumference.pdf

• Australian Diabetes Council; This site helps Australians understand the causes of diabetes, and how to be more aware of the risk factors involved. For example, there are interactive components to this website such as a quiz taken to determine what risk someone is at, a member’s area to update online profile as well as contributing to this cause to make a difference to others.

• http://www.australiandiabetescouncil.com/

Identify Examples (Continued)• Swap It, Don’t Stop It; Swap It is a national campaign running

across TV, Print, Online and Radio. The campaign is focused on promoting the simple, everyday changes you can make to have a healthier and more active lifestyle.

• http://swapit.gov.au/ • Diabetes Australia; Diabetes Australia is the national peak body

for diabetes in Australia providing a single, powerful, collective voice for people living with diabetes, their families and carers. A non-profit organisation, Diabetes Australia works in partnership with diabetes consumer organisations, health professionals, educators and researchers to minimise the impact of diabetes in the Australian community. Diabetes Australia is committed to turning diabetes around through awareness, prevention, detection, management and the search for a cure.

• http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/

Identify Examples (Continued)• National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS); The National

Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is an initiative of the Australian Government administered by Diabetes Australia. Through the administration of the NDSS, Diabetes Australia provides practical assistance, information and subsidised products to nearly 1,000,000 Australians diagnosed with diabetes. http://www.ndss.com.au/

• Measure Up; Measure Up is campaign which provides easy to follow tips and guidelines to help individuals decrease risk of chronic disease including diabetes type 2 by reducing their waist measurement. http://www.measureup.gov.au/internet/abhi/publishing.nsf/content/home

“Swap It, Don’t Stop It” Campaign

By Sally Yang, Lisa Yang & Julia Yan

Background Info

• The Measure Up campaign has effectively worked to raise Australians’ awareness in the link between an increased waistline and chronic disease such as diabetes type 2 and other chronic diseases, which was launched as a part of the Australian Better Health Initiative, which is a national program supported by all states and territory governments.

• From the data collected by research, it has shown that the Measure Up campaign, with its simple but effective waist measurement message, has achieved high recognition and thus, many Australians now understand why waist circumference is important.

Health Promotion Strategy• This campaign is aimed to promote healthier eating and exercising

habits which aims to prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases (i.e. diabetes type 2).

• It aims to make simple changes to the lives of Australians that have become unhealthy over the years and get onto a healthier lifestyle by eating more healthily and being more active by simply ‘swapping the things you love’.

• The Swap It, Don’t Stop It campaign is to effectively show Australians how they can do something about their increased waistline. It builds on the awareness created by the first phase of the Measure Up campaign and works by showing people how they can make small lifestyle changes to improve their health and lifestyle and at the same time, reduce their waistline.

Health Promotion Strategy

• It aims to continue to build consumers’ self-efficacy by conveying simple but personally relevant messages in easy steps that everyone can follow in an aim to improve their health and wellbeing.

• Rather than employing the words like ‘going on a diet’ and being restrictive in the foods you can eat and cannot eat, the campaign encourages Australians to ‘start thinking like a swapper’. It provides a basic, easy-to-follow framework for change in lifestyle eating habits, enabling Australians to identify all the swaps they can make in their everyday life by increasing movement, improving nutrition, thus starting to lose centimetres from around their waist.

Campaign’s Message• Healthy eating and getting active can help you lose centimetres and

prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes type 2• The accumulation of small everyday changes can help to get you on

your way to a healthier lifestyle; without losing all the things you love doing

• You don’t have to stop it, just swap it• Change is easier than you think• Small changes can make a big difference• Small changes add up • You just have to sway some things around• You don’t have to give up everything you love doing

Campaign’s Message

Swap big for small Swap often for sometimes

Swap sitting for moving

Swap watching for playing

- Don’t overcrowd your plate

- Think twice before going back for seconds

- Eat slowly to give your stomach time to signal it’s full

- Share a dessert

- Swap fried food for fresh

- Swap fizzy drink for water

- Swap take away for home made

- Eat less ‘sometimes’ foods

- Walk and deliver a message rather than email

- Swap the lift or escalator for the stairs

- Swap the car for the bike

- Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way

- Meet friends for a walk, instead of coffee and cake

- Don’t just watch sport – get out and get active

- Get outdoors with the family

- Swap a family movie for bowling

- Swap an ad-break smack for an ad-break wander

Supporting these messages is a suite of simple, achievable swaps to inspire Australians to take action. For example:

How is it Communicated?• The Government has provided several

ways to communicate this health promotion to our community. On the website of ‘Swap It, Don’t Stop It’, there are established interactive features in order for us to be more involved with this theory and also many useful tips and suggestions available. Some features include signing up for news articles and an online 12 week planner to balance our lifestyle. There are also regular campaigns featured on the TV and on radio, which has helped this campaign gain many more recognition and interest as a lot of Australians are aware of these particular types of media.

How is it Communicated?

• Also, due to the fact that Eric, the blue balloon personality, represents the majority of the Australia population, he and his family have a likeable down-to-earth personality thus making the campaign more accessible to the average Australian. The simplicity of the campaign is also appreciated by the Australian audience, making this ‘Swap It, Don’t Stop It’ more effective. It is also been seen as easy to understand and being both credible and achievable, providing a sense of personal empowerment for Australians at risk.

• Other successful communication procedures include the organisation of a ‘Final Round’ which is available information sessions for the community and also merchandises such as Frisbees and other products on sale to promote an active and healthy lifestyle.

Target Audience

• While the campaign’s message resonates to all Australians, the primary target audiences are:

Men and women aged between 25-50 years who have children

All men and women aged between 45-65 years

Evaluation

• This particular promotion strategy is warning Australians to be more cautious about diabetes and other chronic illnesses on the rise. This is due to the average Australians developing habit of unhealthy lifestyle. The campaign has been well-received throughout Australia and thus, has been very effective as a marketing strategy. Through the effectiveness of the Phase One campaign, which have been successful in explaining why Australians need to keep their waist measurement in check. This campaign’s strategy follows up, and is also does an extremely successful job at getting Australians to be aware of their waist measurement, their weight, eating and healthy lifestyle habits.

Evaluation

• This is done by featuring regular campaigns on TV and radio, selling merchandises to promote an active lifestyle and having an interactive website that links to other similar campaigns done by the government, thus piquing people’s interest and getting them involved throughout all forms of media available. The strategy has also been promoted in around areas in bus stops, on buses, in train stations, on newspaper and pamphlets in order to raise awareness and encourage Australians to ditch their unhealthy lifestyles and opt for the healthier version in a very clear, articulate way

Suggestions

• However, as effective as this campaign being, it is also noted that few changes could be made to improve this health promotion strategy, Swap It, Don’t Stop It. For example, by organising more events encouraging people to go outdoors and exercise or taking part in endorsing marathons or triathlons would have been more effective in putting the words of ‘Swap It, Don’t Stop It’ into action. This would have helped the campaign further along by putting the words into perspective and actually starting to take action about it. The campaign also could have been used more effectively by the government by placing posters with its now famous catchphrase at more bus stops, inside buses, on the ad boards and on newspapers etc.

Suggestions• This would have been beneficial

to people who could be unaware of the campaign as they do not watch TV. Handing out leaflets or brochures around, especially at congested places (i.e. Town Centres) may help spread the message further.

• The campaign could also have organised healthy eating habit events, get active programmes and merchandises to add improvements to the health promotion strategy.

Bibliography• http://swapit.gov.au/downloads/card-gp-det

ailing.pdf (accessed 04/05/12)

• http://swapit.gov.au/downloads/campaign-fact-sheet.pdf (accessed 04/05/12)

• http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/Understanding-Diabetes/What-is-Diabetes/ (accessed 08/05/2012)

• http://www.diabetesnsw.com.au/ (accessed 08/05/2012)

• http://www.diabeteswa.com.au/ (accessed 08/05/2012)

• http://www.diabetesvic.org.au/ (accessed 08/05/2012)

• http://www.measureup.gov.au/internet/abhi/publishing.nsf/content/home (accessed 08/05/2012)

• http://swapit.gov.au/ (accessed 08/05/2012)