By Michael Burt
Bellingen local Robert Stockton knows firsthand the benefits of a nutrition-first approach in managing type 2 diabetes.
The former Bellingen High School principal has achieved a remission through the Defeat Diabetes Program, which focuses on nutrition education and a supportive community.
The program is a step-by-step guide, developed by Dr Peter Brukner OAM, that can help achieve type 2 diabetes remission through improving blood glucose levels, reducing medications and feeling better.
Mr Stockton said he now feels empowered to manage his condition for the long term.
“My glucose levels dropped from 8.3 to 5.6 by following a low carb diet over nine months. Being at 5.6 is regarded as being in remission,” Mr Stockton explained.
“And it’s hung around that mark ever since.”
“I can’t recommend the program highly enough. It comes with a very supportive online community.”
The program is being highlighted this week as part of National Diabetes Week (12–18 July), which has a focus on amplifying the voices of the 2 million Australians that live with diabetes and manage something most people never fully see.
Mr Stockton’s success with the program is not unique, with a new study by La Trobe University researchers evaluating the Defeat Diabetes program revealing that 78% of participants improved their blood glucose levels. 42 per cent also reduced their HbA1c, the primary measure used to diagnose diabetes, to below the diagnostic threshold.
The study assessed 99 participants who completed the online program after being referred by their general practitioners.
Participants also experienced broader health improvements such as weight loss, lower blood pressure and improved liver health.
The study’s findings are a wake-up call, according to Dr Ron Schweitzer, a general practitioner specialising in metabolic health and one of the clinicians behind the study.
“The old narrative — that type 2 diabetes is a one-way street toward more medication — simply doesn’t hold up,” Dr Schweitzer said.
“In my practice, I’ve seen the Defeat Diabetes app help patients achieve real, lasting improvements that outperform medication. Many have been able to reduce their prescriptions or stop taking anti-diabetes drugs entirely.”
The findings come just weeks after the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare updated its national diabetes data, highlighting the ongoing impact of the condition on Australia’s health system. The latest figures show diabetes is linked to more than one in ten hospitalisations and contributes to more than one in ten deaths nationally, underscoring the importance of effective long-term management strategies.
Type 2 diabetes affects more than 1.7 million people in Australia, with diagnoses almost tripling over the past two decades. It accounts for over 2% of Australia’s total disease burden and is also a major contributing factor for heart disease, kidney disease, dementia and amputation.
The clinical implications are also significant for the healthcare system, with diabetes costing more than $3 billion each year. Broader economic impacts, including lost productivity and long-term care costs, are estimated at a further $17.6 billion.3,4
Type 1 and type 2: what’s actually different?
• Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. The body stops producing insulin altogether, and there’s currently no way to prevent it. People with type 1 manage it every single day, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, through insulin and constant decision-making. There’s no day off.
• Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t produce enough of it. It’s influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, age, cultural background, and lifestyle.
