Despite lacking any foundation in reality, there are still many common myths about diabetes that live on. Some of them can be very harmful, as they overlook important medical facts. Moreover, they reinforce the negative stereotypes about the people who suffer from this condition.
Here are the four most common myths about diabetes.
1. Diabetes Is a Result of Poor Dietary Habits
While overeating sugar can be one of the triggers, it’s never the sole cause of type 2 diabetes. What’s more, it may have nothing to do with the onset of type 1 diabetes. Its triggers are still unknown, but scientists believe that genetics is the main cause.
2. Obesity Always Results in Diabetes
A 2007 study found that obesity may not be the cause of type 2 diabetes. In fact, the results showed that insulin resistance in young people had nothing to do with abdominal obesity. It’s unknown what causes insulin resistance, which is a risk factor for the onset of diabetes. But the researchers concluded that it might develop before abdominal obesity. This means that diabetes could potentially be the cause of obesity and not the other way around.
3. Diabetics Catch the Flu More Easily
This is not true: people with diabetes are as likely to catch a cold or the flu as people who don’t suffer from it. This remains one of the more common myths about diabetes because patients are advised to get a flu shot. The reason for this is that the flu coupled with diabetes can result in many serious health complications. The only way for diabetics to avoid them is to avoid the flu and common colds, and that’s where vaccination helps.
4. Diabetes Is Not So Serious
According to official statistics, diabetes is among the top ten causes of death in the world. This puts it ahead of all types of cancer, as well as HIV/AIDS. Because of this, it’s important to go for your annual medical checkups. If you get diagnosed with any type of diabetes, you need to start your treatment immediately.
