A survey conducted by Diabetes UK released to coincide with Diabetes Week, which takes place from 12th-19th June, has revealed that many people wrongly believe that eating too much sugar can lead to the development of diabetes.
The survey questioned more that 2,000 adults to learn more about how people view the condition. Forty two percent of participants thought that diabetes could be caused by eating too much sugar.
The Diabetes Myths survey also found 50 percent of those questioned think people with diabetes benefit from food and drink labelled ‘suitable for diabetics’. Whereas common thinking now is that people with diabetes do not need to eat ‘diabetic foods’ but follow a healthy balanced diet instead.
In addition to this, the survey also revealed that a quarter of people object to people with diabetes injecting themselves with insulin in public.
Worryingly it also revealed how some children with diabetes are being bullied by their peers who believe that eating too much sugar and being overweight has triggered their diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes commonly develops during childhood and is an auto immune condition not brought about by an unhealthy lifestyle. Although Type 2 diabetes is most often developed in later life it is not always due to an unhealthy diet and obesity, although this significantly increases the risk of developing the condition. Diabetes is now known to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Other myths revealed by the survey included the misconceptions that people with diabetes could not drive, cannot play sport and type 2 diabetes was ‘mild diabetes’.
DRWF CEO, Sarah Bone said ‘This survey highlights the need for more awareness about diabetes and education surrounding the condition and what people can do to lower their risk of developing it. DRWF has held two Diabetes Wellness Events during this year’s Diabetes Week and through our continued awareness and educational activities we aim to help dispel these common myths’.