Western Sydney Diabetes
Taking the Heat Out of Our Diabetes "Hotspot" in Western Sydney
Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD) in Sydney, Australia is co-led by Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD), Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN), Diabetes NSW and
ACT, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). People living in Western Sydney are twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes compared with people living in Seaside and the Northern Suburbs. 6. The reason for the prevalence of diabetes in Western Sydney is partly lower incomes but also less physical activity associated with more commuting in cars, less walking, higher density of poor quality food and more fast food outlets. Western Sydney is a rapidly growing, multicultural population, including South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Pacific Island and Aboriginal people who are more prone to developing diabetes. WSD has made ‘beating diabetes together’ a high priority for the Western Sydney Local health District, which serves about 1 million people. WSD has developed a framework of action that includes primary prevention and secondary prevention and better integrated care across the community and acute hospital services.