Magazine June 2019

Diabetes
Week -
#SeeDiabetesDifferently
Week
#SeeDiabetesDifferently
What comes to mind when you
think of diabetes? Older and
more obese people? Insulin
injections? Poor eyesight? A
life without chocolate?
All these things have been
associated with diabetes in
the past, and some still are
today; but is this all diabetes
is about? Or are there
misconceptions, prejudices
and stereotypes about
diabetes that could do with an
overhaul?
Every year, Diabetes UK, a leading UK
diabetes charity, organise ‘Diabetes
Week’ to raise awareness, education
levels, and money to fund future
research on diabetes. This year, it runs
from 10—16th June and has the theme
of “#SeeDiabetesDifferently”. The aim
is “to help people know more about
diabetes - not just as a condition, but
about how it feels to live with it.”
Someone is diagnosed with diabetes
every two minutes and there are 4.7
million people in the UK living with
diabetes. Diabetes UK think “every
one is different”, so here are 7 major
myths about diabetes that may need
reconsidering – one for each day of
Diabetes Week.
MYTH
1
Diabetes only affects older, overweight people
The media often talk about diabetes along with images of obese or
overweight people, and greasy, ‘take-away’ food. Whilst there is a link
between the rise in obesity and increasing incidence of Type 2 diabetes,
diabetes can affect people of all ages, weights and body types. Around onefifth
of people with Type 2 diabetes are of a normal weight, or underweight.
That said, being overweight is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, so reducing
weight is usually recommended to reduce risk.
There are also at least 6,000 children and young people under 25 with Type
2 diabetes in England and Wales and the incidence is increasing. What’s
important here is that childcare providers are up-to-speed with diabetes
information and know what to do if children in their care have the condition.
You could set up a diabetes policy within your setting to make sure that you
are effectively able to look after children with diabetes.
MYTH
2
Type 2 diabetes is a mild form of diabetes and
does not need insulin
All types of diabetes are serious and there is no such thing as ‘mild
diabetes’. If left untreated, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can cause serious
complications that can be fatal. It is a chronic disease that occurs when the
pancreas either does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot
effectively use the insulin that the pancreas produces, leading to ineffective
control the body’s blood sugar levels, which can damage other systems such
as blood vessels, nerves and organs.
Type 2 diabetes can often be managed by lifestyle changes but in some
cases, as the degree of insulin resistance increases, insulin may be needed,
just like Type 1 diabetes.
MYTH
3
People with diabetes cannot drive
Being able to drive and be independent is something that many people value
highly. If you have diabetes and manage it well, research suggests that you
are no less safe on the roads than other people, so developing diabetes
does not automatically mean you cannot drive. Charities like Diabetes UK
offer advice on all aspects of living with diabetes including how it might
affect a person’s ability to drive.
MYTH
4
People with diabetes can’t do certain jobs
To some extent, this is true. There are still positions, such as some roles in the
Armed Forces, which are not available to people with diabetes. However, the
number of jobs that people are excluded from, is decreasing and charities are
campaigning to remove prejudice and ‘blanket bans’ around employment.
MYTH
5
People with diabetes can’t eat sugar or fruit and
should eat only ‘diabetic’ food
Eating is one of life’s pleasures and restricting what you eat can be difficult
whether you have diabetes or not! People with diabetes need to eat a healthy,
balanced diet in order to control their blood sugar effectively. Since everyone
is different, dietary advice can be a tricky area, and it is recommended that
people diagnosed with diabetes, see a dietician as soon as possible to get
tailored advice for their specific situation. And it’s perfectly possible to eat fruit
and sugar in moderation and still manage glucose levels effectively.
So-called ‘diabetic’ foods are often labelled as such because they include
sugar replacements, but patients should contact their dietician before buying
them. It is certainly not the case that people with diabetes can only eat
‘diabetic’ food.
MYTH
6
It’s difficult to travel if you have diabetes
People with diabetes travel all over the world on all forms of transport.
Preparation and planning are key, as it’s even more important for people
with diabetes to ensure that they have access to the correct medicines,
advice, emergency help and insurance when they travel – but they can still
fulfil their travel dreams.
MYTH
7
Diabetes is contagious
You cannot catch diabetes like you might catch a cold! It is a ‘noncommunicable
illness’ so is not passed on by touch, coughing, sneezing,
blood, or any other person-to-person contact. Some types of diabetes
have been linked to genetic factors, but this just means a person may have
increased risk of developing diabetes if they have a genetic predisposition.
Obviously in the space of one
article, we cannot tackle every
myth or misconception, or lay out
a comprehensive guide to the
condition, its symptoms, treatments
and complications. But hopefully
we have straightened out some
myths so you can indeed begin to
#SeeDiabetesDifferently.
What will you do in
your setting to support
Diabetes Week?
We’d love to hear about
your involvement. Please
email us at marketing@
parenta.com.
For more information about
diabetes, visit:
• Diabetes UK -
www.diabetes.org.uk
• Diabetes.co.uk -
www.diabetes.co.uk
• NHS website -
www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes
• WHO -
www.who.int/news-room/factsheets/detail/diabetes
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