- People with diabetes are more likely to catch a cold: This is completely false! People with diabetes are just as likely to catch a cold or other illness as everyone else. We think this myth started because people with diabetes tend to take more precautions to ensure they don’t get an illness, such as getting the flu shot. This is because it is more difficult to manage diabetes when ill. This can lead a person with diabetes to develop a complication. However, they aren’t more likely to catch the cold or flu in the first place.
- If you are overweight you will develop type 2 diabetes: There are many factors that contribute to the likelihood that one develops diabetes. These include family history, age, and ethnicity. However, most people believe that being overweight is the only factor in determining whether one develops diabetes. The truth is that most people who are overweight never develop diabetes. On the other hand, just because you are at a normal weight doesn’t mean you can’t develop type 2 diabetes as well. So while being overweight can mean that you are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, it certainly doesn’t mean that you will.
Imagine if someone believed these myths to be true. A person who was at a normal weight might never think they have diabetes despite showing symptoms. This can have disastrous consequences considering the complications associated with leaving diabetes untreated. That’s why it’s important to share the truth behind diabetes:
