In the rural Northern Territory town of Katherine, diabetes can feel “normal” for young Aboriginal women.<\/p>\n
The disease was diagnosed in Edwina Murphy and Renee Tasman while they were still in school, but it wasn’t their first encounter with the condition.<\/p>\n
“It’s normal for me because when I was growing up, I [saw] my mum, she always takes her medicine because she also has diabetes,” Ms Tasman said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The disease was diagnosed in Edwina Murphy and Renee Tasman while they were still in school. (ABC News: James Elton)<\/p>\n
For Ms Murphy, diabetes also runs in the family.<\/p>\n
“It started from my grandfather, my mum’s dad, and it passed down to her and three other siblings,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Me and three other siblings of mine [also have diabetes].”<\/p>\n
Since their diagnosis, the women have changed their diets and started exercising more by running or playing footy to manage their blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n
They both use their lived experience to help teach the increasing number of young people with diabetes in the NT how to manage the condition.<\/p>\n
“It worries me because I’m just finding kids like 11-year-olds being diagnosed now,” Ms Murphy said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Edwina Murphy is helping other young people in her community understand what a diabetes diagnosis means for them. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
Food insecurity’s unknown impact<\/p>\n
To mark World Diabetes Day this week, healthcare professionals have outlined some of the unexpected risks facing the large population of people living with the disease in the NT.<\/p>\n
Endocrinologist and researcher Diana Mackay says the territory has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the world.<\/p>\n
“In the Northern Territory, one in three Aboriginal adults living in remote communities has a diagnosis of diabetes, and that rises to 40 per cent when we’re talking about central Australia,” she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Diana Mackay says a lack of access to affordable nutritious food makes it more difficult for Territorians to manage their diabetes. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)<\/p>\n
And Dr Mackay said those rates were increasing, especially among young people.<\/p>\n
“We see children as young as three being diagnosed,” she said.<\/p>\n
She said one thing many people might not consider was the impact food insecurity can have on people living with diabetes.<\/p>\n