Tau Henare

Wellington, April 16 NZPA - National Party list MP Tau Henare has discovered he has diabetes and is urging other middle-aged Maori to get themselves tested for the disease.

Mr Henare, who turns 50 this year, told the New Zealand Herald he had tested positive for diabetes.

Maori are at greater risk of developing diabetes and it is estimated that roughly half of all diabetes sufferers in New Zealand go undiagnosed. The longer the disease is undetected, the greater the chance of complications like heart and kidney failure, eye and gum disease, loss of limbs, impotence and depression.

With the disease "pretty rife" in the Maori community, "my first message is to go and get yourself tested and secondly watch what you eat", Mr Henare said.

Mr Henare he did not yet know which form of the disease he had been diagnosed with, but he has not been prescribed insulin or other medication "and hopefully it stays that way".

"I intend to change my diet and exercise regime and go back and have a recheck in about three or four weeks."

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia suffers from diabetes and recently had a stomach stapling operation.