Health – No one chooses diabetes

November is Diabetes Action Month here in Aotearoa New Zealand, and this year’s campaign is tackling something we don’t often talk about – stigma. It’s tempting to think diabetes is simply about food and willpower. It isn’t. Diabetes is a complex condition shaped by genetics, environment, income and access to care.

There are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition – it’s not caused by anyone’s food or exercise choices. And while type 2 is influenced by diet and activity, nobody sits down and chooses it.

Yet stigma is recognised as one of the biggest barriers to better health outcomes for the more than 365,000 New Zealanders living with diabetes. Diabetes New Zealand reports that 80% of people living with diabetes in Aotearoa face blame, shame or judgement. That’s four in five people facing stigma on top of the daily effort of managing a chronic condition.

Stigma can sound like “Should you be eating that?” at morning tea, or a raised eyebrow when someone checks their glucose. Small moments that don’t seem like much, but do add up. They happen at work, family gatherings and online.

Stigma isn’t just hurtful, it’s harmful. Some people report delaying insulin injections or blood glucose checks because they fear judgement. Fear of stigma can also keep people away from the healthcare appointments that keep them well.

The good news? This is something every one of us can help fix.

First, watch your words. Put the person before the condition and respect the words someone prefers for themselves. Second, hold back the well-meaning advice. If someone mentions their diabetes, they’re sharing information, not requesting a lecture on sugar. Third, ask questions instead of making assumptions – most people living with diabetes know far more about managing it than we do.

Support can be simple, too: listening without judgement or making it easy for a colleague to check their blood sugar at work without fuss. A little grace costs nothing, and it can change someone’s whole day.
Diabetes New Zealand has a Know Your Risk quiz for type 2 diabetes, which is quick and easy to do. It is worth doing, because early detection matters enormously with type 2 diabetes.

There’s also a national fundraising goal if you want to support the wonderful work they do – One Million Minutes of Movement. Walking the dog, gardening, cycling with the kids, a lunchtime stroll, kapa haka – it all counts. What matters is moving more, not moving perfectly. Movement helps with blood sugar control, energy and mood, and doing it with others makes it more fun.

You’ll find the quiz and information on the fundraiser at diabetesactionmonth.org.nz.

No one chooses diabetes, but we can choose how we treat people living with it. This November, let’s choose support over stigma.