“Should you really be eating that?”

“You did it to yourself.”

They’re only comments made in passing, right?

What you might not realize is that comments like these have an actual impact on health when it comes to people living with diabetes. The emotional toll from statements like these can be just as heavy as the physical toll, and 40% of people with diabetes say that this chronic condition isn’t taken seriously.¹

Our initiative, “Above the Bias,” brings awareness to diabetes stigma and helps to minimize its impact so people living with diabetes can feel empowered to access the care they need. Here are the top three things to know when it comes to diabetes stigma and how it impacts health.

The feeling of being alone is a challenge

When you’re told that you have diabetes, you may go through a whirlwind of emotions. Nearly 1 in 4 people with diabetes have avoided sharing their diagnosis with family and friends because of embarrassment or concern,¹ which can lead to feeling isolated right from the start of their health journey.

That feeling of isolation is not ideal for health outcomes since feeling lonely is associated with poorer mental and physical health.² Research has suggested that loneliness is a factor physicians should assess in people with diabetes since there may be a relationship between that feeling and diabetes complications.³

More than 60% of people with diabetes have had a family member place blame on them.⁷ This is why empathy is important. If you're talking about diabetes, keep in mind that a person who lives with diabetes didn’t do anything to “get it” or “deserve it.” It’s important to know the true facts about diabetes to better understand the condition and to help mitigate diabetes stigma. If you know people in your life who have diabetes, you can support them by asking about their experience with diabetes and stigma.

Diabetes stigma stops people from accessing care

We’ve all spent some time in a doctor’s office, taken medicine, or changed a habit for health reasons. For people with diabetes, however, it can be tough to even arrive at that office or make habit changes because diabetes stigma creates significant obstacles. 40% of people living with diabetes are skipping or missing a doctor’s appointment because of shame or stigma.¹

Let’s revisit “Should you really be eating that?”: 76% of people living with diabetes have personally heard or experienced these comments.⁶ While it may come from a well-intentioned place, it’s important to know that it’s comments like this that contribute to pushing people away from seeking care.

The effects aren’t only psychological. In our survey, we found that nearly 2 in 5 people with diabetes experienced a physiological response above their average steady-state when they heard incorrect, biased, and stigmatized phrases about their chronic condition.⁶

Think of elevated heart rate or sweat — or, at its simplest, more stress on the body. You may already know that experiencing stress constantly can be detrimental to your health. You might not realize the additional impact frequent stress can have on people who live with diabetes as stress can cause glucose levels to increase, which can strain their body’s ability to manage glucose.⁴

Mental health is important

Words truly matter when it comes to diabetes.

• 77% of people living with diabetes feel that their mental health has been negatively impacted by living with the condition.⁷
• Nearly 7 in 10 people think that receiving supportive comments from others could greatly motivate them to manage their diabetes.⁷

The range of emotions a person experiences daily, which can stem from managing their condition and hearing others’ commentary, is an aspect of diabetes that loved ones can help with. Clearly expressing support is important, especially since people with diabetes are at higher risk of developing depression.⁵

Using person-first language (such as saying “person with diabetes” instead of “diabetic”) and avoiding judgment or blame are examples of things you can do to actively be more supportive. Practicing empathy is helpful, too, because it leads to understanding. As people recognize that diabetes bias exists and that it has real effects, more people living with diabetes will feel empowered to follow through with their management plans thanks to the encouraging community they interact with.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to focus on living their best life. Together, we can decrease the impact of diabetes stigma and empower people living with diabetes through empathy and grace.

What you can do

It’s important to talk about diabetes stigma to fight against it. Together with The Skin Deep, we brought together family and friends to sit down and have honest conversations about living with diabetes and personal experiences with stigma. Watching {THE AND} series is a good place to start learning about the power of listening when minimizing stigma and to better support the global diabetes community.

In addition to listening, here are other things you can do to help:

1. Be aware of diabetes stigma and how it impacts people’s health.
2. Get the facts about diabetes. When you understand the condition and its challenges, you can help combat myths. Learn more at AboveBias.com.
3. Talk to family or friends who are living with diabetes. Ask how you can best support them.

References

¹ Data on file. Abbott Diabetes Care. Based on a global survey among 1,233 adult participants (n=134 with type 1 Diabetes, n=1,099 with Type 2 Diabetes) commissioned by Abbott and conducted by Savanta in May 2024. Research was executed in three distinct phases among people with diabetes across Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S.
² Richard, A., Rohrmann, S., Vandeleur, C. L., Schmid, M., Barth, J., & Eichholzer, M. (2017). Loneliness is adversely associated with physical and mental health and lifestyle factors: Results from a Swiss national survey. PloS one, 12(7), e0181442. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181442
³ Kobos, E., Szewczyk, A., Kokoszka-Paszkot, J., & Dziedzic, B. (2020). Factors associated with loneliness in patients with diabetes mellitus. Nursing open, 8(1), 517–524. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.655
⁴ Cleveland Clinic. (2024, March 8). How Stress and Depression Affect Diabetes. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/stress-and-diabetes
⁵ Mayo Clinic. (2024, April 9). Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/diabetes-and-depression/faq-20057904
⁶ Data on File. Abbott Diabetes Care. Based on phase 2 of a global survey (n=171 with type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes) commissioned by Abbott and conducted by Savanta in May 2024.
⁷ Data on File. Abbott Diabetes Care. Based on phase 3 of a global survey (n=1,276 with type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes) commissioned by Abbott and conducted by Savanta in May 2024.