National Diabetes Week has kicked off in the Hunter with local researchers raising awareness for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
According to new research the Hunter is the fastest growing area in Australia for Type 1 Diabetes with just over 8,000 poeple or nearly 5 per cent of the population living with diabetes, but it's also an area where groundbreaking research into diabetes prevention is underway.
The Hunter Diabetes Centre is currently undergoing a study into using a multiple sclerosis drug which has the potential to reverse Type 1 Diabetes, if it's been triggered by a virus.
Marketing and Events Manager at the Hunter Diabetes Centre Gabrielle King says there are many studies continuing at the centre in a bid to bring the diabetes numbers down.
"We're doing a wide variety of research here for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We've got a variety of clinical trials going from looking at preventing Type 1 diabetes in children so family members of people who have type 1 diabetes and then we're also looking at weight loss management in type 2 diabetes."
There are number of events happening at the centre for diabetes week as well including a Type 1 Diabetes screening day on Thursday where the public can go and see if they have the disease, particularly if they know a close family member has been diagnosed.
"We're having a range of educational events held by our diabetes educator. So we're having an exercise and medications talk so that will look at how exercise and medication can help you manage your diabetes and we'll be bringing in an exercise physiologist with our diabetes educator," said Gabrielle King.
