There is a lot of information available about diabetes, both online and from well-meaning friends and family members. There are several myths about both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. It is important to distinguish between the myths and the facts.

Myth: Insulin Cures Diabetes

Insulin helps you to manage diabetes. It helps to keep your blood sugar levels controlled, but it does not “cure” diabetes.

Myth: Eating sugary foods causes type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Both Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and Medline Plus explain that eating sugar does not cause diabetes.

Myth: If you are overweight, you will develop diabetes or must already have it

Being overweight is a risk factor for diabetes, but people who are overweight do not always develop diabetes. Some people who are within the normal weight range have diabetes. There are other risk factors, including family history and activity level.

Myth: People with diabetes have to eat special food

People who have diabetes should eat a healthy diet, and follow the advice of their health care team members. Foods packaged as “diabetic friendly” or similarly labeled are usually expensive.

Myth: Children and adults who have diabetes can never eat sweets

Sweet foods are not off limits for either children or adults who have diabetes. Planning for the sweets and limiting them is important, but you do not have to avoid sweets altogether.

Myth: Exercising is not safe for people with diabetes

Getting exercise is important for children and adults, even when they do not have diabetes. Exercise is very important for maintaining healthy weight and body fat, and for building insulin resistance.