More Myths of Diabetes

Diabetes affects the young and old, rich and poor, from cultures all across the world. The World Health Organization preaches how diabetes has increasingly become a lifestyle-related disease. Awareness is an important part of the process working towards a solution to stem the growing prevalence.

Here are a few more common diabetes-related factoids. Which are true and which are simply myths?

Myth: Type 2 diabetes only occurs in adults

The truth: At one time, type 2 diabetes was called adult onset diabetes. More and more however, children are being diagnosed with type 2. This is likely as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise.

Myth: Gestational diabetes only affects pregnant women

The truth: This is absolutely true. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and goes away after pregnancy. Women who have gestational diabetes have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life. 

Myth: Diabetes is not a serious disease like cancer or heart disease. 

The truth: Diabetes is very serious. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness or amputations. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Canada.

Click here to visit Part 1 of our blog on Myths of Diabetes

Myths of Diabetes

Diabetes affects the young and old, rich and poor, from cultures all across the world. The World Health Organization preaches how diabetes has increasingly become a lifestyle-related disease. Awareness is an important part of the process working towards a solution to stem the growing prevalence.

While any discussion on the topic can be seen as a positive step towards changing people's lifestyles, misinformation often leads to the spread of unproductive myths. Take a look below at some common myths of diabetes and learn which tips are valuable and which ones need to be reeled in.

Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes

The truth: Not really but consuming a lot of sugar can have an impact.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset. Type 2 is caused by genetics and lifestyle.

Being overweight increases the risk of developing diabetes and a high-calorie diet contributes to weight gain. Research shows that drinking sugary drinks is linked to type 2 diabetes. 

Myth: People who have diabetes are more likely to catch colds and other illnesses.

The truth: People with diabetes are no more likely to catch colds or other viruses than anyone else. However, having any type of illness can make diabetes more difficult to control. It's recommended that people who have diabetes get a flu shot each year.

Myth: If your doctor tells you need to start using insulin to control your type 2 diabetes, it means you're not managing your diabetes properly. 

The truth: For the most part, type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. When first diagnosed, many people with type 2 diabetes can keep their blood glucose at a healthy level just by using oral medications. But over time, the body produces less insulin and as a result, oral medications may not be enough.

In everyday language, what is diabetes?

Having diabetes means the body makes little or no insulin and/or the body doesn’t properly use the insulin it makes. The body gets energy by converting carbohydrates into sugar (glucose). The body needs insulin to make the glucose.

Essentially...

No insulin = no glucose = no energy to the brain.

It’s complicated, but simply put:

Healthy Pancreas

Type 1 Diabetes – makes up 10% of cases

• In most cases, you’re born with it
• Pancreas makes little or no insulin
• Occurs most often in children and young adults

Type 2 Diabetes – makes up 90% of cases

• Impacted by genetics and lifestyle
• Insulin resistance and/or pancreas not working properly
• Occurs most often in adults

Will Canada avoid the diabetes epidemic?

Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in Canada with more than 60,000 new cases each year. The Canadian Diabetes Association says more than 1.8 million Canadians are currently diagnosed with diabetes and that the disease can shorten life expectancy by 5 to 15 years. 

Beyond the obvious health issues, diabetes is costing Canadians. According to Canada’s Diabetic Cost Model, the economic burden of the disease was over $12B in 2010. This amount could increase to $17B by 2020 if left unchecked. 

But it’s not all bad. 

Research shows that lifestyle changes can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Healthy eating, weight control and physical activity are important prevention steps. In fact, in some cases, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by diet and exercise.

As with any medical condition, being well informed is an important first step. Stay tuned for our weekly posts on diabetes facts.