Learn The Truth about Diabetes | Mate Huka

Kāo | Sadly, that’s not true. There isn’t a cure for diabetes at the moment.  

Here’s the great news. There is a lot of research going on in the field of finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes | Mate huka momo tuatahi. Type 2 diabetes | Mate huka can be prevented and managed well. People with Type 2 diabetes can and do live healthy lives. Things like keeping a healthy weight, low-calorie diets, or even bariatric surgery can sometimes put Type 2 diabetes into remission for at least five years.

As for gestational diabetes | Mate huka i te hapūtanga, while you can’t prevent it completely, there are ways to reduce the risk.

While a cure may not be available yet, there are things we can do that will make a real difference in living well with all types of diabetes.

Kāo | Actually, that’s not true at all. Diabetes is definitely something we should all take seriously.

Living with diabetes means carrying an emotional burden every minute of every day. It’s a relentless, 24/7 condition that can really impact mental and emotional wellbeing. Imagine having to make up to 180 diabetes-related decisions every single day – that’s over 65,000 extra decisions each year! There are no breaks for people with diabetes, and we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of this.

Diabetes needs to be taken seriously because it can also lead to diabetes distress or diabetes burnout. This is when someone gets so tired of looking after their health condition that they start ignoring it. This can have serious consequences. No diabetes is mild. Good control can greatly reduce the risk of complications, but it’s still serious.

Diabetes is a serious condition that demands our attention and action. It takes effort to manage it effectively and keep blood glucose levels under control. We should all support those managing those daily challenges and treat them with respect, understanding and kindness.

When it’s not well managed, it can lead to major health problems like heart, kidney, eye, and blood vessel diseases. The good news? With the right management, the risk of these complications can be greatly reduced. 

For people with Type 1 diabetes, when they take insulin, they are at risk of low blood sugar levels (hypo), which can be dangerous. The symptoms? Sweating, feeling shaky, and a higher heart rate than usual. A hypo can usually be brought under control by eating or drinking something sugary, like jellybeans. But if it’s not managed, it can cause confusion, slurred speech, unconsciousness, and in extreme cases, a coma.

For both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar levels for long periods of time can cause serious damage to various parts of the body, leading to complications like eye and foot problems and kidney issues, and increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke within 10 years.

And for women | ngā wāhine with gestational diabetes high blood sugar levels can cause serious health problems for both the pregnant woman | hapū wāhine and the baby | pēpē.

So, yes, diabetes is something that can have very serious, even life-threatening consequences.

Kāo | That’s totally wrong. Nobody chooses to get diabetes, regardless of the type. Diabetes isn’t directly caused by a person’s actions. It’s a complex condition with many different types and stages, and there are numerous contributing risk factors.

Type 1 diabetes is linked to genetic and environmental factors and is an auto immune condition.  If one whānau member has Type 1 diabetes, the risk is slightly higher for another whānau member to develop it too. Type 2 diabetes is connected to age, ethnicity, whānau history, and a genetic pre-disposition.

Gestational diabetes can also be linked to family history, but it can affect wāhine with no known risk factors. Several factors can increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy, such as being overweight, having a whānau history, ethnicity, pre-diabetes, and previous deliveries of babies weighing more than four kilograms. However, this doesn’t mean a wāhine with those risk factors will definitely develop gestational diabetes.

The reality is it’s not anyone’s fault if they have diabetes. There are many factors at play.

Kāo | Not true at all. Some slim, active people develop diabetes too. Nobody should be blamed or shamed for their health – diabetes can affect anyone. 

Type 1 diabetes isn’t associated with weight, physical inactivity, or any healthy behaviours or habits. While being overweight is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, it's not a direct cause. Some people who are overweight may never develop Type 2 diabetes, while some who are at a healthy weight will.

During pregnancy, being overweight can contribute to gestational diabetes, but plenty of wāhine who are in good shape can still develop it. That’s why every pregnant woman is asked to take a glucose test during pregnancy. 

So, diabetes isn’t about being overweight or lazy – it’s much more complex than that. It’s important we stop this myth because people with diabetes need more kindness and less judgement.

Not so. Diabetes doesn’t discriminate based on age. Type 1 diabetes can affect individuals right from birth, and Type 2 diabetes has been diagnosed in Tamariki (children) as young as six. Gestational can develop during any pregnancy, regardless of age.

Type 1 diabetes occurs most frequently in people under 30, however you can develop diabetes at any age. While Type 2 diabetes usually develops in adults over 45, it’s now increasingly showing up in younger age groups, including tamariki and rangatahi. And remember, any wāhine can develop gestational diabetes during any pregnancy.

So, diabetes is definitely not just an “old people” thing – it can affect anyone, at any age.

Kāo | False. Diabetes can affect people regardless of their weight and appearance, challenging those stereotypes and debunking the myth that slim people don’t get diabetes. While weight is just one factor among many that contribute to the risk of diabetes, it’s not the sole cause.

Type 1 diabetes isn’t linked to weight, appearance, or any healthy behaviours or habits. Type 2 diabetes has many causes and can affect people of normal weight, or even those who are underweight. In fact, around 20% of people with Type 2 diabetes are of normal weight or underweight.

It’s also important to note that sudden weight changes, like rapid weight loss, can be a symptom of either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

Wāhine of all shapes and sizes can develop gestational diabetes. Many factors other than weight can have an equally strong influence on the risk of developing the condition, including genetics and family history. This suggests that a hapū wāhine can still develop issues with the way their bodies produce insulin, regardless of their shape and size. 

Kāo | Not at all. Family history isn’t the only cause of diabetes. While you can inherit risk factors for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, other factors can play a role too.

For Type 1 diabetes, most people need to inherit risk factors from both parents. But genes alone are not enough. For example, identical twins share identical genes, but if one has Type 1 diabetes, the other twin gets the condition only about half the time. Similarly, a parent with Type 1 diabetes might have tamariki who don’t develop the condition.

Type 2 diabetes does have a stronger link to family history and lineage, but age, ethnicity, genetics, and healthy behaviours or habits also contribute to its development. Having a close relative with Type 2 diabetes is just one of the factors that can increase your risk for gestational diabetes.

So, even if diabetes runs in your whānau, it doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing you’ll get it too. There are many other factors at play.

Kāo | Wrong. Eating too much sugar doesn’t directly cause diabetes.

For Type 1 diabetes, sugar isn’t the culprit at all. It’s not caused by anything you eat or any eating habits.   

When it comes to Type 2 diabetes, while eating too much sugar doesn’t directly cause it, your eating habits can play a role. Eating a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, which break down into glucose in the body, can increase the risk of developing diabetes and make it harder to manage blood glucose levels. But sugar alone isn’t the reason Type 2 diabetes develops – there are many risk factors involved.

As for gestational diabetes, eating too much sugar isn’t the primary cause either. It’s more about hormonal changes and how the body changes food into energy. During pregnancy, the body might not produce enough insulin – a hormone whose needs can be two to three times higher than normal during this time.

So, while sugar consumption can impact your risk, it’s not the direct cause of diabetes. There’s a lot more to it.

Kāo | Not always. People with diabetes can eat sugary foods, and there’s no problem including them as a treat occasionally as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

For people with Type 1 diabetes, sugary drinks or food are essential to treat a hypo, which happens when their blood glucose levels get too low.

People with Type 2 diabetes don’t have to cut sugar out of their diet completely. Sugar is naturally found in fruit, vegetables, and dairy foods, so it’s important they don’t cut these out since they provide valuable energy and support overall health. It’s the free sugar and hidden sugar lurking in many foods, as well as some drinks packed with sugar, that we all need to cut down on.

For people with diabetes, it’s important to reduce sugar and carbohydrates to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. That’s also true for those with gestational diabetes as it promotes a healthy pregnancy and increases the likelihood of delivering a healthy pēpē.

A healthy diet and staying active will help everyone manage their blood sugar levels, control their weight and generally feel better. A key part of healthy food management is portion control. The Healthy Plate model recommended by Diabetes NZ, shows healthy portion sizes: one-quarter protein (using your palm to measure your serving), one-quarter carbohydrates (using your fist to measure your serving), and half vegetables.

While moderation is key, people with diabetes can definitely enjoy sugar occasionally as part of a balanced diet.