Air Liquide Healthcare Australia 2025 Diabetes Insights Report
Foreword by Tony Kelly, Vice President – APAC Home Healthcare & Managing Director, Air Liquide Healthcare Australia
“At Air Liquide Healthcare Australia, we are driven by a single purpose: to improve the lives of those living with chronic conditions. Diabetes, as Australia’s most rapidly growing chronic condition, demands not just clinical solutions, but real empathy, innovation, and support that reflects the lived experiences of everyday Australians.”
Diabetes continues to grow at an alarming rate. According to Diabetes Australia, Around 1.5 million Australians live with the condition, with an estimated 500,000 more undiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. More than 300 people are diagnosed every day, and the annual cost of diabetes to the country is a staggering $17.6 billion.
The disease is now the seventh most common cause of death by disease in Australia, according to data collected by the Australian Government. Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the risk is far greater. They are three-times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, 4.3-times more likely to be hospitalised for it, and four-times more likely to die from it.
“The launch of our new Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), Sibionics GS3, is part of our commitment to make life easier for people living with diabetes.
“Our goal is to make diabetes easier to manage, reducing its impact not only on individuals, but also on families, communities, and our healthcare system. To do this effectively, we needed to listen.”
The Air Liquide Healthcare Australia 2025 Diabetes Insights Report shares insights from 1,004 Australian adults living with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It reveals the mental, social, and financial toll of the chronic condition and where Australians need better tools, information and support. Insights like these are critical to shaping more empathetic, effective solutions and ensuring that innovation in diabetes care truly reflects the voices and needs of the people it serves.
1Source: Diabetes Australia
1. The Mental Burden of Diabetes in Australia
Managing diabetes is not just physical, it can be a relentless mental task. Australians living with diabetes are estimated to make around 180 health-related decisions each day, from monitoring glucose levels to calculating carbohydrates and planning meals.
This constant vigilance takes a toll and it seems that our youngest Australians are feeling it the most. Almost one in three respondents (30.3%) cited the mental and emotional burden as one of their greatest frustrations living with diabetes, with women (34.6%) more so than men (26.1%). Many feel isolated in their experience (22.8%), while the vast majority (82.3%) believe the public underestimates how difficult it is to live with diabetes.
Almost two in three (65.6%) admitted to frequently or occasionally downplaying their struggles to friends, family, or colleagues, with younger Australians more likely than older. Some respondents expressed frustration at common misconceptions – such as the belief that all diabetes is Type 2 or caused by poor lifestyle choices – while others are impacted by fatigue and depression. Together, these insights highlight the significant emotional burden and persistent stigma that often come with living with diabetes.
Have you ever downplayed your struggles with diabetes to family, friends, or colleagues?
2Source: Stanford Medicine
2. Food, Nutrition, and the Social Impact
Making healthy food choices, particularly outside of the home, presents a challenge for many Australians living with diabetes, potentially resulting in social isolation.
Three-quarters of respondents (74.9%) said they find it somewhat or very difficult to make healthy choices when dining out or ordering takeout. Unsurprisingly, it seems to be younger generations who are finding it the most challenging, with 93.6% of 25-34 year-olds, followed closely by 92.6% of 18-24 year-olds, who struggle with making healthy choices while dining out, compared to just 46.6% of those aged 65+.
How difficult do you find it to make healthy food choices when eating out at restaurants or ordering takeout?
| Age group | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-65 | 65+ |
| Somewhat or very difficult | 92.6% | 93.6% | 89.8% | 82.2% | 68.6% | 46.6% |
| Not difficult | 7.4% | 6.4% | 10.2% | 17.8% | 31.4% | 53.4% |
Compounding this issue, 72.9% felt that restaurants do not provide enough information (like carb counts, sugar content or glycemic index) to help them make informed decisions.
When asked about their biggest frustrations of living with diabetes, almost half (45.6%) cited limited suitable food options when eating out or travelling.
This lack of transparency and support directly impacts social participation. More than half of respondents (53.4%) said they have sometimes or often avoided dining out or attending social events because of the difficulties involved in managing their diabetes.
Have you ever avoided social events or dining out due to the difficulty of managing your diabetes?
Even foods marketed as “healthy” are met with skepticism. The majority of respondents (83.2%) said such products are often or sometimes unsuitable for managing diabetes, while a further one in 10 believe they are always unsuitable.
Other food frustrations experienced by people living with diabetes include unclear food labels, feeling restricted on what they can eat, while 41.4% said they face confusing or conflicting nutrition advice, and one in three (33.5%) found the time and effort needed to track food, glucose, and medications frustrating.
A further 26.6% felt there is a lack of culturally inclusive meal plans available, easy to understand nutrition guides (46%) and affordable diabetes-friendly foods (61.3%), while some found a lack of gluten-free and allergy restricted food and recipe options for people living with diabetes.
3. Financial Strain and Inequity
Living with diabetes comes with a significant financial burden. While 35.3% of respondents said they spend less than $500 per year on diabetes management, a substantial proportion (59.1%) said they spend up to $1,000, and over one in five (21.4%) said they spend more than $2,000 annually.
Roughly how much do you spend out-of-pocket annually managing your diabetes (medications, supplies, devices, medical appointments, etc.)?
The biggest spenders by age group were 35-44 year-olds, with 40.9% who said they spend over $2,000 per year, followed by 25-34 year-olds (37.6%) and 18-24 years (35.2%). Conversely, only 7.7% of 55-64 year olds said they spend over $2,000 per year and just 4.0% of 65+.
This financial strain is potentially affecting basic living standards of many people living with diabetes. More than half (56%) said that they have had to cut back on essentials like groceries, utilities, or other living costs to afford their treatment. More women (61.3%) than men (50.9%) said they have had to cut back, while the younger age groups have cut back more than the older generations.
Unsurprisingly, 57.3% believe there is not enough financial support for people living with diabetes, while the number one frustration for people living with diabetes was the ongoing costs (including medications, supplies and/or healthy food) (51.5%).
4. Technology and the Promise of CGMs
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) as a management tool, represents a breakthrough in diabetes management, offering real-time glucose tracking and for some patients it can reduce the reliance on painful and inconvenient finger-prick testing. However, awareness and adoption remain varied. While 25.4% of people said they have used CGMs, 58.4% are aware of them but have not used one, and 16.2% have never heard of them.
Have you heard of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), which are wearable devices that continuously track glucose levels in real time?
Cost appears to be a barrier. Almost a quarter of respondents (22.5%) said they would not be willing to spend money on a CGM, and just over half (50.3%) would only consider using one if it cost them less than $500 per year.
Many respondents specifically expressed frustration that CGMs are not subsidised for people living with Type 2 diabetes, despite their potential to reduce the burden of daily management.
Many Australians living with diabetes could benefit from CGMs, with nearly one in three respondents (29.3%) highlighting a lack of real-time support through apps or technology.
Two in five (39.9%) cited unpredictable or hard to control blood sugar swings as one of their biggest frustrations, while 28.1% pointed to the pain, inconvenience, or general frustration of finger prick testing as a major challenge.
5. Access to Support and Resources
The healthcare system is not always equipped to meet the needs of people with diabetes. 38.6% of respondents said they never visit a Credentialed Diabetes Educator, with men (43.1%) more likely than women (34.0%) to never visit one.
How many times per year would you visit a Credentialed Diabetes Educator?
Almost one in three (31.2%) reported a lack of access to dietitians as a significant barrier. When asked what resources were missing from current diabetes support, respondents pointed to not enough support from healthcare providers, specific advice, and more support and education around maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as gym routines and weight loss.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
This national survey indicates that Australians living with diabetes need better support, clearer information, and greater access to technology and care.
When asked what would make managing food and nutrition significantly easier, respondents pointed to practical, everyday changes, like clearer food labels with carb counts and glycemic index (54.5%), lower costs for healthy supermarket options (55.5%), and access to affordable, diabetes-friendly meals (53.5%). Many also called for more public awareness to reduce judgment around food choices (21.3%), and improved restaurant transparency and menu options (45.5%).
Beyond food, nearly two in five (37%) said an easy-to-use app to track glucose levels would make a real difference, while others highlighted the need for subsidised CGMs, access to bulk-billed specialists, and workplace flexibility to manage medications. These responses paint a powerful picture: living well with diabetes requires more than clinical care, it demands a more supportive, informed, and accessible environment in all aspects of daily life.
What would make managing food and nutrition with diabetes significantly easier for you?
| Solution | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Clearer, diabetes-specific nutrition guidelines | 45.8% |
| Access to affordable, diabetes-friendly meal plans or prepared meals | 53.5% |
| Food labels that include carb counts, glycemic index, and sugar content | 54.5% |
| Restaurants offering nutrition info and diabetic-friendly menu options | 45.5% |
| An easy-to-use app that helps track my glucose levels | 37.0% |
| More access to dietitians or nutritionists who understand diabetes | 24.5% |
| Lower costs for healthy foods at supermarkets | 55.5% |
| More public awareness so I don’t feel judged for my food choices | 21.3% |
| None of these would help | 4.3% |
| Other | 3.7% |
At Air Liquide Healthcare Australia, our mission is to reduce the burden of chronic disease. Through products like CGMs – and through listening and responding to what people living with diabetes truly need – we are working to make diabetes easier.
But this challenge cannot be met by innovation alone. It requires greater public awareness, smarter policy, and a more inclusive, responsive healthcare system. Together, we can ensure that managing diabetes doesn’t have to mean managing alone.
Methodology
Air Liquide Healthcare Australia commissioned a survey, conducted by global research provider Pureprofile, of 1,004 Australian adults who have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The survey was conducted in August 2025. Study participants were comprised as follows:
State: 31.77% NSW, 18.92% QLD, 26.49% VIC, 7.67% SA, 10.7% WA, 4.48% ACT/TAS/NT.
Gender: 51.1% male and 48.9% female
Age: 5.38% 18-24, 15.64% 25-34, 18.53% 35-44, 19.02% 45-54, 16.83% 55-64, 24.6% 65+,
About Air Liquide Healthcare
Air Liquide Healthcare Australia is a leading provider of homecare services, medical gases, and equipment, supporting tens of thousands of oxygen and sleep apnea patients nationwide. In 2025, it expanded into diabetes care with the launch of the Sibionics GS3 continuous glucose monitor. The CGM reflects the company’s commitment to making chronic condition management easier. Air Liquide Healthcare also provides the services of Credentialed Diabetes Educators.
About Tony Kelly
Tony Kelly is Vice President of Home Healthcare for APAC and Managing Director at Air Liquide Healthcare Australia. With a chemistry background, Tony began his career as a chemist at the Queensland Government before joining Air Liquide Healthcare Australia in 2007, where he has held several senior leadership roles.