'Diabetes wave' set to strike

BY REBECCA TODD

A "tsunami" of diabetes among Asians is about to hit an unprepared Canterbury health system, an ethnic health expert says.

China is the global epicentre of the diabetes epidemic, with one in 10 people living with the disease, a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine found.

Partnership Health Canterbury ethnic liaison manager Wayne Reid said Asians had the second-highest rates of diagnosed diabetes in New Zealand behind Pacific Islanders.

However, "discrimination" against them in the health system meant many were not accessing appropriate healthcare or were undiagnosed, he said.

About 6.5 per cent of Asians had diabetes, but only 1.8 per cent of Canterbury Asians had a free annual diabetes check, he said.

The number of undiagnosed diabetics was likely to be high as research showed Asians were the least likely of all ethnic groups to have seen a health professional over the past year.

Obesity was a leading risk factor for diabetes and differences in physical makeup meant Asian people were considered obese with a body mass index (BMI) over 25. Europeans were considered obese with a BMI of more than 30.

When the lower obesity measure was used 50 per cent of Asian people in Canterbury were considered obese, Reid said.

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Canterbury's Asian population was the fastest growing in New Zealand and would almost double by 2016.

"This will place an enormous burden on health resources if we do not recognise and address the high level of chronic disease and its associated costs," he said.

Reid said he requested a specific Asian health section in the CDHB district annual plan, alongside Maori and Pacific Island sections, but this was denied.

He advocated creating a specialist Asian health centre for Christchurch, better translation services and a DVD on basic nutrition and healthy food choices.

CDHB team leader planning and funding, Dr Greg Hamilton, said the board was aware of the issue but was not convinced it needed an Asian-specific strategy on diabetes.

Asian people were generally very healthy, he said.

"If you are younger and healthier, you wouldn't expect to be going to see a GP as often," he said.

Dr Colin Chin said about half of his patients at Doctors on Riccarton were Asian and he diagnosed someone as diabetic about once a week.

GPs could get extra funding to check Maori and Pacific Islands patients, but not Asian ones.

A report released in July found that Asians were the least likely of all ethnic groups to eat the daily recommended serves of fruit and vegetables or to do physical activity.

The longer they had been in New Zealand the more likely they were to smoke, drink alcohol and become obese.

The report said Asian people in NZ were more highly educated, but had lower incomes and were more likely to live in economically deprived areas.

FACING THE BARRIERS

Christchurch Chinese Weng Kei Chen was diagnosed as diabetic eight years ago.

The 59-year-old said he managed to control it with daily medication and diet, but was not a fan of exercise.

When he arrived in New Zealand as a student 41 years ago, his diet changed significantly as it did for other Asians moving to Western countries.

"Most people don't really like to go see the doctor until necessary, particularly men," he said.

Chen said he was lucky to have a doctor who spoke Chinese as lack of English skills could make things difficult for migrants.

- © Fairfax NZ News