1. No family history of diabetes hence I won’t get it: While it is true that diabetes myths has a correlation with genes, it is not perfect. Also, family history, in genetic terms, is much longer than most people have records for. There might have been someone in your ancestry who had diabetes but was not diagnosed. Hence don’t bet too heavily on you not getting diabetes just because there is no recorded information about it in your family tree.

2. Sugary foods and drinks cause diabetes: It is true that diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar levels are high, it is not because you are consuming sugar. It is because your body is either not producing the normal amount of insulin or what it is producing is not being used properly. Eating sugary foods is bad for your health in general and does cause obesity, which is one of the leading causes of diabetes, but in itself sugary foods and drinks don’t cause diabetes.

3. I won’t get diabetes because my BMI is below 25: BMI is not a very good indicator of potential diabetes, especially for Indian body type which accumulates fat around midsection of the body. Diabetes can happen even with low BMI and the best way to establish whether or not you have diabetes is to undergo diagnostic tests.

4. Diabetics require a special diet: Medical professionals believe that diet of a diabetic patient should be balanced in carbohydrates, protein and minerals and that they should avoid foods with high levels of fats, sodium and sugar. But then that’s what they advise everyone. So healthy diet is all the diet you need.

5. Diabetes can be cured: There are a number of claims, particularly from alternate medicine practitioners and new age dieticians, that diabetes can be cured. However, these claims have not been tested and proven in any serious scientific studies.

6. Gestational diabetes makes the baby diabetic: Some women get diabetes during their pregnancy, hence the name gestational diabetes. Even though gestational diabetes is a strong leading indicator of eventual Type 2 diabetes, the good news is that a mother having gestational diabetes does not mean the baby will automatically be diabetic. If gestational diabetes is managed well, it can help the patient prevent Type 2 Diabetes.

7. Diabetes causes only physical illness: While it is well known that Diabetes causes damage to a lot our organs, what is often overlooked is the impact it may have on mental health. Diabetics are twice as likely to have mental health issues as non-diabetics.  

8. Diabetes happens only after a certain age: Diabetes can happen to anyone at any point in life. While it is true that with age the chances of getting diabetes also increase, it’s also true for most diseases. In fact, one of the most worrying trends is that the younger segment of our population is where diabetes is expanding the fastest.

9. Type 1 Diabetes is more serious than Type 2 Diabetes: Diabetes is a condition of increased blood sugar levels. The damage to body and its organs is irrespective of whether the cause was genetics or poor lifestyle. Irrespective of the cause you have to manage diabetes with medicine and lifestyle corrections. Health insurance plan

10. Diabetes means I can’t have an active lifestyle: Diabetes does not preclude you from having an active lifestyle. On contrary having an active life is the best way to keep diabetes in check. Sure, you have to take precautions but that should always be the case.

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