Summary

This report presents information about the prevalence and characteristics of children aged 0-14 with type 1 diabetes in Australia, based on data from the 2013 National (insulin-treated) Diabetes Register (NDR). This is the first time national statistics on the prevalence of type 1 diabetes among children aged 0-14 have been reported by the NDR.

Type 1 diabetes is a non-preventable lifelong autoimmune disease, which is most commonly diagnosed in children. It is a difficult condition to manage, and if left untreated or improperly managed, can lead to many health complications or death.

Ongoing, regular monitoring of type 1 diabetes is essential to improve  Australia's ability to respond to this important health problem.

  • In 2013, 6,091 children aged 0-14 had type 1 diabetes in Australia-representing 139 cases per 100,000 population, or about 1 in every 720 children in that age group.
  • Rates of type 1 diabetes were similar for both boys and girls.
  • Rates for children aged 10-14 were twice as high (278 cases per 100,000 population) as for children aged 5-9 (123 per 100,000), and more than 10 times as high as for children aged 0-4 (27 per 100,000).
  • The Northern Territory had the lowest prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children (50 cases per 100,000 population), while Tasmania had the highest (166 per 100,000).
  • Children living in Remote and very remote areas had the lowest prevalence of type 1 diabetes (82 cases per 100,000 population) compared with all other areas in Australia (where rates varied between 133 and 169 cases per 100,000 population).
  • The prevalence of type 1 diabetes among children was relatively similar across socioeconomic groups.
  • There were 167 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with type 1 diabetes-equating to 69 cases per 100,000 Indigenous children, or 1 in almost 1,500.
  • Just over 2 in 5 children (43%) with type 1 diabetes used a pump to administer insulin.