Top diabetes myths debunked

While information about the causes and treatment of diabetes are widely available, there are also many misconceptions. GN Focus consulted three prominent diabetes experts in the UAE to set the record straight.

Dr Maneesha Pandey is an endocrinologist who specialises in the treatment of diabetes and other hormone-related disorders at Aster Jubilee Medical Center in Dubai. She has found that awareness of diabetes differs among different social groups according to their relative level of education. “Yet despite the fact that most UAE citizens and residents recognise the potential impact diabetes would have on their lives and understand that they and their peers are at substantial risk, awareness and adherence to preventive measures are not in vogue,” she says.

Emirati researcher Dr Habiba Al Safar is Director of the Biotechnology Centre and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research.

The highly decorated doctor of philosophy has also has received a For Women in Science Award for her work identifying genetic and environmental risk factors associated with type 2 Diabetes-Induced Cardiovascular Disease in the UAE (extended families). “I began my study in 2011 choosing to focus on diabetes because of its high prevalence in my beloved country, the UAE,” Dr Habiba says. “When the study was conceived it was the first to address the absence of a genetic registry to study the indigenous population of the UAE.” She hopes that an understanding of the genetic diversity in the region will provide an insight into mechanisms that cause disease.

Dr Neil de Jesus Rangel is a specialist endocrinologist at Mediclinic Welcare Hospital who believes diabetes in the region is exacerbated by a general tendency to overeat, paired with the easy availability of unhealthy food. He has a keen interest in the management and treatment of thyroid disorders and diabetes mellitus, including diabetes in pregnancy.

Together, the three doctors lay out and analyse some common diabetes myths, which need to be debunked before public awareness and understanding of the disease can take root.

Myth 1

Symptoms are easy to spot

Some of the symptoms of diabetes include going to the toilet a lot, especially at night, being really thirsty, feeling tired, losing weight without trying and blurred vision. “But many times,” Dr Pandey tells GN Focus, “a diabetic may be completely asymptomatic till late. Type 2 diabetes also develops slowly, especially in the early stages.”

Myth 2

Eating too much sugar causes diabetes

“There is some truth to this, if only indirectly,” Dr Rangel says. A high-calorie diet leads to weight gain, which increases the risk of diabetes. “Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder and type 2 diabetes is multifactorial,” explains Dr Pandey. “But being overweight does increase one’s risk of diabetes.” People with diabetes need to eat a diet that is healthy and well-balanced, which can include sugar in moderation.

Myth 3

If I have diabetes I need to inject myself

“This is not true”, says Dr Rangel. Only diabetics who are on injectable medications need to deal with needles. There are even insulin pens available that make the process of injection less frightening. “Type 1 patients may need to inject themselves,” says Dr Pandey, “but many patients with type 2 diabetes manage well with oral medications only.”

Myth 4

With diabetes, you can’t exercise or play a sport

“This is certainly incorrect,” says Dr Rangel. “Exercise is crucial for controlling diabetes, along with weight loss. We encourage diabetics to do more physical activity as it also increases insulin sensitivity,” Dr Pandey adds.

Myth 5

If you are obese or overweight you will get diabetes

“Being overweight does increase one’s risk for developing diabetes. But it’s not true that every obese or overweight person would develop diabetes,” says Dr Pandey. Dr Habiba, whose study looks into genetic factors, agrees.

“There are other factors, such as family history, that play an important role.” In fact, most overweight people never develop type 2 diabetes, but there are many diabetes patients of average weight.

Myth 6

Women with diabetes must not get pregnant

“This is not true”, says Dr Rangel. If you are diabetic, you can have a safe pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. However, Dr Pandey cautions that diabetic women will need medical supervision before and throughout pregnancy for monitoring and controlling their blood glucose levels.

Myth 7

People with diabetes should not eat sweets

Diabetics can eat sweets and deserts, if part of a healthy meal plan or combined with exercise. “However, sweets should be taken only in small portions and occasionally, with emphasis on a healthy diet,” explains Dr Pandey.

Myth 8

Diabetes means you could lose a limb or die

“There is some truth to this myth”, Dr Rangel says. But diabetes takes a long time to progress to the point where you lose limbs. “If poorly managed, type 2 diabetes can lead to serious, even life-threatening complications, but with public awareness and screening programmes, diabetes can be diagnosed early for prevention and treatment,” Dr Pandey explains.

So what can be done to prevent diabetes?

According to Dr Rangel, rapid economic development has led to lifestyle changes that resulted in low level of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits and increasing obesity, all key factors for the development of diabetes. “We should teach and encourage healthy eating habits and regular physical activity, public awareness and screening programmes should be conducted periodically for prevention and early diagnosis of diabetes,” Dr Pandey says. “The media can play an important role in raising public awareness.”

Dr Habiba, however, aims to identify genotype, lifestyle and demographic factors that may contribute to type 2 diabetes. “The results of these studies can be used to identify high-risk individuals long before initiation of the disease state, which would substantially benefit both them and society. Moreover, targeting preventive measures towards such individuals could delay the onset of disease, slow its progression, and reduce the ultimate severity of the condition, which would result in substantial improvements in quality of life for affected individuals and a reduction in health-care costs.”

Once ranked at number two for the highest rates of diabetes in the world, the UAE has come a long way. And with a greater understanding and awareness of the condition, both scientifically, through genome-wide scans, and publically, perhaps the Emirates Diabetes Association’s stated goal of reducing the prevalence of diabetes to 16 per cent by 2021 is more than achievable.