the latest health news
Are you a Health Professional? Read more detailed and referenced information written by Australian health professionals, make sure you select health professional in the signup form! Virtual Medical CentreNewsThin people get diabetes too Thin people get diabetes too
Pointing the finger at fat as the major or sole contributor to contracting type 2 diabetes is misleading and wrongly promotes the idea that the condition is entirely self-induced, research at Flinders University has found.
Flinders public health researcher and medical anthropologist Dr Darlene McNaughton (pictured) has completed a project that investigated how diabetes is being presented in research and in the media, covering the past 15 years. She says that weight is increasingly being posited as the primary or sole cause of diabetes, and that this is a dangerous oversimplification.
“There is still a lot of uncertainty about the etiology of diabetes and there are a number of potential risk factors at play include ageing, gestational diabetes, genetics, under nutrition, poverty and family history, many of which are beyond individual control,” Dr McNaughton said.
“Despite this, overweight and obesity are increasingly depicted not only as risk factors, but also as the central cause of the disease,” she said.
“If you have two parents with diabetes then your likelihood of developing the condition is high, some suggest as high as 70 per cent.”
In the past two decades – coinciding with assertions that we’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic – is a rise in the idea that weight or fatness causes diabetes, when it is much more complicated than this. Indeed more often than not, a gain in weight is actually a symptom of diabetes.
“However, it is being promulgated in research, in the media, and generally, that weight, and obesity in particular, is driving diabetes rates up. This overemphasises weight and lifestyle and downplays those things that people can’t control, like genetics or poverty.”
Dr McNaughton said that research has demonstrated that obese people do have slightly higher rates of diabetes than people of ordinary weight.
“But at the same time, there are an awful lot of obese or overweight people who don’t have diabetes and who never will, because it’s more complicated than ‘weight equals diabetes’,” she said.
Conversely, Dr McNaughton said the presumption that weight generates diabetes means that people who are not overweight may think that they cannot contract diabetes, leading them to overlook symptoms that indicate the disease.
“And it is key that if you have diabetes that it is picked up early, to help avoid the very serious long-term complications that can occur, like blindness, kidney failure or amputations.”
Dr McNaughton said while the general population does identify genetics as a factor, many people also attributed diabetes primarily to weight, including those with the condition.
“The dominant message that people with diabetes seem to be getting is ‘you have done this to yourself because you are overweight or obese, as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle’,” she said.
“This is very worrying.”
People who are overweight or obese experience considerable negativity and judgement in Australia and, like people with diabetes, are frequently viewed as a drain on the health system.
“Such stigmatisation is almost always counterproductive in terms of seeking support for the treatment of type 2 diabetes”, Dr McNaughton said.
“The last thing we want is a situation where people feel ashamed for a condition that has very complex causes that we still really don’t understand, and are not seeking social or medical support.”
(Source: Flinders University)
More information
For more information on diabetes, including different types of diabetes, blood glucose and dietary control, and long-term complications, as well as some useful videos, see Diabetes.
-->
Article Date: 25/8/2013 Related DiseasesDiabetic Eye Disease: Proliferative Diabetic RetinopathyDiabetes Mellitus Type 2 (non-insulin dependent, mature age onset)
Related Articles: Common therapies reduce depression in diabetes Australians in diabetes denial despite national epidemic Major advance in identifying genetic risk of type 1 diabetes Delivering diabetes education via television Dementia risk tied to blood sugar level, even with no diabetes Diabetes: More than just type 1 or type 2
Connect
Sign up for free newsletters 
Subscribe to RSS feeds 
Discuss on Forum 
Article Comments Add your comment to this article
Name
Email
Comment
Security Code Change Code
Security Code
Enter the above security Code
User-generated Content Guidelines
Rate this article12345List News by Medical Area All News Men's Health News Women's Health News Children's Health News Allergy News Blood News Bone News Brain News Cancer News Dental News Eye News Fitness News Gastro News Heart News Hormone News Infection News Joints News Kidney News Lungs News Mental Health News Pain News Pregnancy News Skin News Weight Loss News
New on VMC
Orange and Avocado Salad more... 
As the weather warms up – preparing kids for toilet training more... 
Dr Joe: Ear health more... 
Recovering from disaster and trauma more... 
VMC NewslettersVMC newsletters are FREE on subscription. See VMC's previous newsletters here.
Free Membership & NewslettersNot yet a member?Stay up to date with the latest health news
Resend Activation Email -Forgot your Password?Today's medical surveyTrauma
Have you ever suffered second-hand trauma, for example after watching a disaster on TV/internet/or a loved one going through it?
Yes, I sought help from a counsellor/other professional
Yes, I talked through it with loved ones
Yes, but I was too embarrassed to talk about it
No
Other (please comment)
Comment:What is 2 + 2 =
View Results » Current Sponsors About Virtualmedicalcentre.com
Australia�s leading source for trustworthy medical information written by health professionals.
Please be aware that we do not give advice on your individual medical condition,
if you want advice please see your treating physician.
Virtual Medical Centre © 2002 - 2013 | Privacy Policy Last updated 1 Nov 2013
Parenting information is available at Parenthub.com.au
About Us Careers Advertise with us Advertising policy Contact Us Copyright Information Corrections Editorial Advisory Board Investor Information Partners Sitemap Terms of Use User-generated Content
^ Back to Top Partners and Accreditations 
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
For banner advertising
Website and videos by 
Titan Web Clients
Web Design Perth
E F G H
I J K L
M N O P
Q R S T
U V W X
Y Z Medical Information Health Topics Anatomy Devices Diseases Doctor Videos Drugs Health & Lifestyle Investigations Medical Dictionary My Experiences Symptoms Supplements Supportive Care Tools Treatments Useful Links News News & Events Latest News Events Newsletter Newsletters Lifestyles Health and Lifestyles Exercise Family General Mental Health Nutrition Occupational Health and Safety Pregnancy Preventative Health Recipes Sexuality Sleep Smoking and Alcohol Win Competitions Current Competitions Competition Winners Health Professionals Health Professionals Editorial Advisory Board Conferences Events Case Studies Research & Trials Publications Consult Magazine Pro Newsletters Pro Membership
Read more detailed and referenced information written by Australian health professionals, make sure you select health professional in the signup form!
Sign up Login About VMC | Contact Us | Sitemap Follow us on:
No comments:
Post a Comment