Poster Presentation Australian Diabetes Society and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting 2017

POSTER DISCUSSION: Diabetes risk factors, prevalence and readiness to change lifestyle behaviours in Samoan communities living in South Western Sydney (#264)

Freya MacMillan 1 , Charles McCafferty 1 , Marra Aghajani 1 , Dorothy Ndwiga 1 , Kate McBride 1 , Rhonda Thompson 1 , Tuilatai Adam 1 , Olataga Alofivae-Doorbinnia 1 2 , Jennifer Reath 1 , Penny Abbott 1 , David Simmons 1
  1. Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
  2. Powell Street Medical Centre, Yagoona, NSW, Australia

Background: The Samoan population is the largest Pacific population in Australia and internationally. Samoans experience high rates of type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension. We describe the prevalence of diabetes and its risk factors, and readiness to change physical activity, diet and weight, in a sample of Samoan adults living in Sydney.

Methods: All adults aged ≥18yrs attending three Samoan churches in South Western Sydney were invited to participate in a lifestyle intervention study. Baseline data were collected within ‘measurement’ sessions at times organised by the church leaders. Besides questionnaire completion (including readiness to change lifestyle behaviours), anthropometric (including bioimpedance), blood pressure and point of care biochemical (HbA1c, random blood glucose (RBG)) assessments were made.

Results: So far, 101/208 Samoans (45% male; age 43(±16)yrs) have attended for data collection, of whom 23 (22%), had known diabetes (duration 11.1±8.5yrs). A further 12 (12%) who reported not having diabetes, had an HbA1c ≥6.5% (n=7; 7%), a RBG ≥11.1 mmol/l (n=2; 2%) or both an HbA1c ≥6.5% and RBG ≥11.1 mmol/l (n=3; 3%). Anthropometric, blood pressure and biochemical measures and readiness to change lifestyle behaviours are detailed below. Differences in the proportion of participants with and without diabetes were only found for HbA1c (χ2 (1)=29.7) and RBG (χ2 (3)=22.1), p≤ 0.001 for both, with more participants falling in the normal range for those without diabetes than for those with diabetes. Most participants (>90%) were contemplating, if not already taking action, towards a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusions: Of the total sample, 23% were diagnosed with diabetes and a further 12% had undiagnosed diabetes, bringing total diabetes prevalence to 35%. Obesity and hypertension were also very common. Our findings confirm the urgency for lifestyle intervention in the Sydney Samoan community. Readiness from the community to change their lifestyle behaviours suggests an intervention would be welcomed.

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