UC Scientists Seek Diabetes Identification Breakthrough

UC Scientists Seek Breakthrough In Identifying People Most At Risk of Diabetes

June 7, 2013

University of Canterbury (UC) scientists are developing breakthrough diagnostic approaches to identify people most at risk of becoming diabetic.

Diabetes, in particular type 2 diabetes, is an increasing problem worldwide. As populations age and live longer diabetes is increasing, exacerbated by the impact of increasingly sedentary lives.

UC mechanical engineering researcher Professor Geoff Chase says leading medical associations and the World Health Organisation refer to it as a diabetes tsunami with increasing economic costs to healthcare systems and rising costs to society from long-term exposure to the disease.

Professor Chase is giving a public lecture at UC next week (June 12). For further details see: http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/wiw/

He will raise questions such as: Can we reduce the social and economic impact of the diabetes epidemic? Why should we be concerned about diabetes when we have cancer to worry about? Will diabetes alone destroy New Zealand’s ability to deliver health care, pensions and other critical services? How can technology solve this type of medical problem?

``There is currently no cure for type 2 diabetes, although better treatments and care are available. The only true solution is to have less type 2 diabetes. Technology and engineering is helping reduce the effects of this disease on our society.

``More than 171 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This is expected to rise to 366 million by 2030. In New Zealand it is estimated that 250,000 people have type 2 diabetes and by 2021, 500,000 people or almost 1 in 7 of the population will have diabetes.

``The cost of diabetes in New Zealand in 1998-99 was $270 million and the anticipated cost by 2020 is expected to rise to $2.2 billion.

``New Zealanders are increasingly sedentary, walking and standing less, working vigorously less as we spend more time on computers, which is compounded by the fact that we appear to be getting heavier as fast or faster than many nations.’’

Professor Chase says early detection of type 2 diabetes is an economic and social imperative as it allows intervention while there is a chance to mitigate its enormous social and economic consequences.

Photo: Professor Geoff Chase

ENDS

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