There are many misconceptions about the disease such as eating too much sugar causes it and only old people get it. Here are 7 of the most common misconceptions about diabetes.
1. Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. It happens when the beta cells in the pancreas which produce the insulin are destroyed. This has nothing to do with how much sugar you eat. Type 2 diabetes on the other hand is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Eating foods with too much sugar contributes to weight gain. Being overweight increases a person’s risk for developing diabetes. Most overweight people never develop diabetes and you don’t have to be overweight to develop diabetes.
2. Folks with diabetes cannot eat sweets.
When you have diabetes, it doesn’t mean that you can never eat sweets again. But it doesn’t mean you can eat all sugar you want. Eating small servings of sugary foods and having a meal plan can help manage blood glucose levels of diabetics.
3. Diabetes is contagious.
Diabetes is NOT contagious. You cannot catch it from another person. Diabetes is caused by several factors such as genetics and lifestyle.
4. Only old people get diabetes.
Your risk of getting type 2 diabetes increases as you grow older. According to JDRF, approximately 85 percent of people living with T1D are adults, and 15 percent of people living with T1D are children.
5. Diabetes is not a serious disease.
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States in 2010. Diabetes can lead to Heart Attack, Blindness, Kidney Failure, Nerve Damage, Amputation, and Pregnancy Complications. Every 7 seconds, 1 person dies from diabetes. There are 4.9 million deaths in 2014.
6. Taking insulin cures diabetes.
There is no known cure for diabetes. Insulin is NOT a cure diabetes but it can help manage the condition.
7. Diabetes only affects rich countries.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, 77% of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.
