Since diabetes is so prevalent in today’s community, it’s inevitable that there are many myths surrounding it. You should know the actual facts about the condition, to further your knowledge and awareness about how it affects people’s lives. The first myth is that “Type 1 diabetes is the serious form and type 2 is the mild form.” This is completely not true, as every person with diabetes will be in a different situation, however if their condition is not properly controlled, it can lead to very serious complications. Another myth is that “everyone with diabetes will eventually go blind”. Although diabetes is in fact the leading cause of working-age blindness in the UK, there are many factors which can be controlled to reduce damage to the eyes.
“Having diabetes means you cannot do certain jobs” is another myth. In most cases this is plain and simply not true. In saying that however, despite the Equality Act 2000, people with diabetes still face blanket bans in some areas of employment, including the armed forces. Another large myth is that “You can’t play sport if you have diabetes”. In fact, people with diabetes are encouraged to take part in exercise, which helps them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A prime example of this is Steve Redgrave, who is a multiple Olympic Gold Medal Rower despite having diabetes.