Behavioural innovation is key to improving the health of one million Australians living with type 2 diabetes

Zimmet, Paul Zev; Moylan, Judi; Colagiuri, Stephen

doi:10.5694/mja16.01031

Topics

Few would disagree with Speight1 that greater attention to behavioural aspects of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is key to dealing with the current T2D epidemic in Australia and its serious complications.2 One of the greatest drivers of the current T2D epidemic is an unhealthy personal lifestyle behaviour. A key recommendation from the 2009 Preventative Health Task Force was to provide the community with a health enhancing environment,3 which was also emphasised in the National Diabetes Strategy (NDS) 2016–2020.4

1 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
2 Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC
3 Diabetes Australia, Canberra, ACT
4 Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW

Correspondence: paul.zimmet@monash.edu

Competing interests:

Paul Zimmet and Judi Moylan co-chaired the NDSAG. Stephen Colagiuri was a member of the NDSAG.

1. Speight J. Behavioural innovation is key to improving the health of one million Australians living with type 2 diabetes. Med J Aust 2016; 205: 149-151. <MJA full text>
2. Zimmet PZ. Can we avert a diabetes catastrophe in Australia? Med J Aust 2013; 199: 225-226. <MJA full text>
3. Australian Government, Preventative Health Taskforce. Australia: the healthiest country by 2020. National Preventative Health Strategy — the roadmap for action. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2009.
4. Department of Health. Australian National Diabetes Strategy 2016–2020. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2015. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/nds-2016-2020 (accessed June 2016).
5. National Diabetes Strategy Advisory Group. A strategic framework for action. Advice to government on the development of the Australian National Diabetes Strategy 2016–2020. Canberra: Department of Health; 2015. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/DD1A82F21E7CA59ECA257EFB0074CD8C/$File/NDS%20A%20Strategic%20Framework%20for%20action.pdf

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