Fewer jabs with insulin pump

Three myths about diabetes

Public awareness of the chronic metabolic disease may have increased over the years, but some misconceptions still remain. These are three of the most common ones:

Several cubes of honey rock sugar. PHOTO: ST FILE

1 MYTH: Consuming a lot of sugar leads to diabetes

FACT: Sugar is a type of carbohydrate and carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. Consuming carbohydrates alone does not lead to Type 2 diabetes.

Excessive calorie intake puts people at greater risk of Type 2 diabetes, leading to weight gain and increased resistance to insulin. It is important to have a healthy diet and exercise portion control.

Type 1 diabetes is not caused by lifestyle factors, though it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to better manage it.


2 MYTH: People with diabetes must avoid simple sugars such as glucose

FACT: Again, sugars are carbohydrates, which make up about half of the macronutrients in our diet (the other half being fat and protein).

Diabetic people still need carbohydrates for energy, although they have to monitor the effects of food on their blood sugar levels.

Knowing the amount of carbohydrates in a dish can help with how much one should eat.


3 MYTH: If you need insulin for diabetes, your condition must be poorly controlled

FACT: There are various reasons that people with diabetes need insulin.

In Type 1 diabetes, those who are not able to produce insulin need lifelong insulin replacement.

In Type 2 diabetes, some patients are able to control their glucose levels with tablets. However, insulin production may be insufficient for more severe cases, and thus insulin replacement is necessary.

Lester Wong

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 15, 2016, with the headline Three myths about diabetes. Subscribe