Hello ISLAND participants!

It’s almost that time of the year – SURVEY TIME and we need your help.

We want to thank you for your continued involvement in the ISLAND Project and allowing us to continue our important research into dementia prevention.

There are three core components of our research;

The greatest contribution you can make to the ISLAND Project is to complete the annual surveys. Invitations to complete the surveys will go out in October.

Why are the surveys are so important to the ISLAND Project? It allows us to look at changes in your responses over time and compare them to your performance in our annual cognitive tests and our blood samples. We hope to be able to show that the people who make the most improvement to their personal risk have the least change in their cognitive tests and blood biomarkers. This would be a great outcome for all of us involved in the ISLAND Project – but can’t do that without you completing your surveys each year. 

By being part of ISLAND, you are helping us build this evidence. The information you provide by doing our surveys is incredibly valuable for informing future health policy and practice in relation to dementia prevention. 

If you haven’t yet joined ISLAND, please log into your ISLAND Home page and follow instructions to complete your initial baseline surveys. If you are already a research participant, your link to your surveys will arrive in your inbox later in October. 

Did we mention there's an incentive? Complete your October surveys and you could win a Coles Myer Voucher! We have five $100 Coles Myer vouchers to give away to five ISLAND participants who complete all their surveys. Winners will be notified by email on the 1st December, 2023.

If you need any help with your surveys, the project team will be happy to hear from you via email to island@dementia.utas.edu.au

Thanks,

Dr Eddy Roccati and the ISLAND Project Team

Risk Factor - Diabetes

Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic condition in Australia. What is it and why is it a risk factor for dementia?

A lot of the food that we eat is turned into glucose which then moves into the blood. Glucose is the important sugar that our body and our brain need for energy. A hormone called insulin is released into the blood after we eat. It comes from an organ near the stomach called the pancreas. Insulin helps glucose get into the body and brain cells from the blood so that it can be used for energy. When the level of glucose in the blood falls because it has been used as energy or stored in the body the level of insulin also drops. Diabetes is a condition that prevents your body controlling the amount of glucose and insulin in your blood. High blood glucose levels and high levels of insulin in the blood can damage the cells and the blood vessels in the brain, as well as the body. This damage can result in reduced blood flow to the brain and death of brain cells which increases the risk of dementia.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas can no longer produce insulin and requires management with insulin injections or the use of an insulin pump. Blood glucose levels can be hard to control and can result in episodes of very low blood glucose levels, called hypoglycaemia. Over time and with age, episodes of low blood glucose can damage brain cells. This also leads to an increased risk of dementia including Alzheimer's disease.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, usually occurring in people over 40. Type 2 diabetes happens when the body becomes resistant to insulin, or the pancreas cannot make enough insulin. This condition develops gradually over time, which means the rise in blood glucose level is also gradual. For this reason, many people don’t know that they have type 2 diabetes. It is important to have regular health checks after the age of 40 in order to check for Type 2 diabetes - before you feel unwell. Blood vessels and brain cells are also damaged by type 2 diabetes, leading to an increased risk of dementia.

I have diabetes. How can I reduce my risk of developing dementia?

Not all people living with diabetes will develop dementia, but diabetes does increase the risk of developing both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The good news is that if you are living with diabetes, seeing your GP or Nurse Practitioner to help you address any of the following will be good for your diabetes and reduce your chance of developing dementia.

• Take your medication and check your glucose levels as prescribed.
• Having your blood pressure and cholesterol at a good level is important.
• Stopping smoking at any age.
• Maintain your physical activity.
• Maintain a healthy body weight and diet.
• If you drink alcohol then the less you drink, the better.

Diabetes - Support in Tasmania

Have you been told you are at risk of diabetes and would like help to prevent it? Do you have diabetes and would like help to better manage it. Or would you just like to learn more about it? Diabetes Tasmania offer a range of programs and resources on their website, specifically: -

- Telephone health coaching in The COACH Program
- Appointments with diabetes educators or dietitians
- Webinars and events
You can also read their resources on prevention and living with diabetes.

The University of Tasmania received funding from the Australian Government. Views and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of its authors, and may not be the same as those held by the Department of Health.

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