He described it as "bizarre" that in a country such as New Zealand, the biggest health concern was food-related.
"As we spend more and more on [conditions like these] there is less money available for other health problems"
He said for many of those with pre-diabetes there would be no clues. "It is a disease that doesn't really have symptoms for the vast majority."
He said doctors were seeing more cases of type 2 diabetes, but there was also a greater awareness around it and more testing.
"It definitely is something that is on the increase. We are seeing the precursors more too which is of concern."
Dr Pert said the reaction of people varied when were told they had diabetes. "There are some people who are quite shocked and work really, really hard to turn it all around. For a few it is a bolt out of the blue."
He said some were able to make huge differences with changes like eating better and exercising more. "The nice thing about that is there is no downside to that kind of lifestyle.
"They sleep better, work better, their relationships are better."
While many could control their diabetes through lifestyle and medication, Dr Pert said if ignored and not treated properly diabetes could be "extraordinarily serious".
Diabetes Rotorua chairwoman Karen Reed said the organisation was working hard locally on raising awareness of the support group. Mrs Reed said she believed many of those in the Lakes district with pre-diabetes would not be aware they had it.
While traditionally it was thought of as an older person's disease, Mrs Reed said they were seeing people from their 20s onwards being diagnosed. "A lot of people don't really consider they are at risk because it used to be a disease of the elderly. People didn't develop it until their 70s or 80s."
Risk factors included being overweight, having high blood pressure or having a family history of diabetes. People of Maori, Pacific Island, Asian or Middle Eastern descent were also more at risk. She said one of the lesser known risk factors was having a baby weighing above 4kg, which increased the risk for women.
Signs of diabetes included tiredness, being thirsty, frequent infections and blurred vision, but Mrs Reed said most who had signs or symptoms had gone past the point of pre-diabetes and developed diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes
Risk factors:
- European descent aged 40 or older
- Diabetes in your family (grandparents, parents, brothers or sisters)
- Maori, Asian, Middle Eastern or Pacific Island descent aged 30 or older
- High blood pressure
- Overweight (especially if you carry most of your weight around your waist)
- Diagnosed as having pre-diabetes (also known as impaired glucose tolerance) - this occurs when the glucose (sugar) in your blood is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes
- If you gave birth to a large baby weighing more than 4kg, or have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
- High blood glucose in pregnancy
- High blood glucose in the past
How to try and avoid it:
- Stay physically active and get regular exercise.
- Eat healthy food.
- Keep your weight in a healthy range.
- From diabetes.org.nz
