DIY test for diabetes in Australia

Australia and the antipodean region are facing diabetes challenges . Surging levels of obesity has driven the nation to a record rate of the disease. A new testing kit will provide Australians with the means to determine if they have abnormal glucose levels, usually an indicator of diabetes or other medical problems.
Experts on diabetes in Australia say that the disease is likely to sweep the country, with 50 per cent of affected people unaware of their condition . Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include fatigue, intense thirst, and blurred vision . Long-term complications can include heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and the possibility of amputation .
The new testing kit could be extremely useful in alerting patients at the earliest possible stage, meaning that healthcare can be provided early. A health expert in Australia advised that anyone over 40 who has a sedentary lifestyle, and anyone who is overweight no matter how old, to take the test. He was reported as saying that: “there are hundreds of thousands of Australians who don’t know they have it. For the people who are prepared to prick their own finger they will be in a better position to know if they do or don’t have this disorder. Many people present years after the onset when they have complications such as loss of vision and kidney failure.”