Three myths diabetics (and everyone) should know Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

If you’re Jamaican, you’ve probably heard people refer to the chronic health condition diabetes as “sugar”.

But, what is it?

Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy.

In the body, the pancreas makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of people’s bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use its own insulin as well as it should.

Accrding to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, this causes sugar to build up in your blood, which is why many people call diabetes “sugar”.

Diabetes affects all age groups. In fact, based on the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey (2016-2017), the overall prevalence of diabetes among people 15 years and older was 12%.

Young poet Ngozi Wright presents a poem aimed at raising awareness about diabetes in November 2021. (Video: Ministry of Health and Wellness)

For this #WellnessWednesday and in recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month (November), Loop Lifestyle is sharing three myths about the condition that diabetics, (and everyone), should know:

Myth: Persons with diabetes can’t eat or drink anything with sugar.

Fact: This is not true. Sugar and starch are sources of energy that everyone, including persons with diabetes, needs in their daily diet. Persons with diabetes need to eat a healthy, balanced diet, which can include sugar and starch in moderation.

2. Myth: Only adults can get type 2 diabetes.

Fact: While it is true that persons can develop type 2 diabetes as they get older, in recent years more and more children and adolescents have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes because of an increase in overweight and obesity, unhealthy eating habits and decreased physical activity in this age group.

3. Myth: If you are already at risk of getting diabetes, there’s nothing you can do to prevent it.

Fact: Changing your lifestyle – healthy eating, increased physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, regular check-ups – can delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in persons who have risk factors. This is also true for persons with pre-diabetes.

Source: Ministry of Health and Wellness

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