Consuming too much sugar does NOT cause diabetes.

This is a classic myth where a situation’s effect is mistakenly attributed to its cause. Yes, it is true that diabetics must monitor the amount of sugar in their system throughout the day. However, this does not mean that individuals with this condition brought it upon themselves by eating too much sugar in the first place!

In case you were not already aware, diabetes comes in two different varieties, cleverly classified as Type I and Type II. Type I diabetes is typically diagnosed before adulthood and is caused primarily by genetic factors. For this kind of diabetes, people must take insulin supplements because their pancreas no longer produces it naturally. Type II diabetes is quite a bit different. Diabetics of this variety produce plenty of insulin naturally, it just doesn’t work as well because they have built up a resistance to it. As with Type I, this form of the disease arises partially due to genetics, but a person’s lifestyle and diet also play a prominent role. The origin of the sugar myth is likely due to the fact that a high-calorie diet (whether from sugar OR from fat) can cause a person to be overweight, which increases their risk of developing Type II diabetes.

Check out Diabetes.org for more diabetes myths debunked!

Also, if you have diabetes, Wilford Brimley would like to remind you that you need to check your blood sugar often.