Diabetes Week 2026

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See below people living with diabetes discussing how they have experienced diabetes stigma:

'Can you eat that?' 

Diabetes is often misunderstood. And those misunderstandings show up in everyday moments.

From hearing “Can you eat that?” to reactions when injecting in public, we spoke to Sasha (living with type 1) and Jade (living with type 2) to hear more about their experiences.

'Is this my fault?' 

Nobody chooses diabetes. And nobody is to blame for it either.  

But that doesn’t stop people like Mark and Jo from wondering: Is this my fault?

Misunderstandings between different types of diabetes

Diabetes stigma doesn’t only come from outside the community - it can exist within it too.

In this conversation, Ken (living with type 2) and Niki (living with type 1) open up about the misunderstandings between different types of diabetes.

What is diabetes stigma?

Diabetes stigma is the negative attitudes and false assumptions people make about those of us living with or at risk of diabetes. It impacts people with all types of diabetes, and arises from misconceptions and misunderstandings of the causes, management and realities of diabetes.

Sadly, the stereotypes and misconceptions about diabetes are often internalised by people living with diabetes - with nearly half of those that completed our survey believing that they are true. 

This can lead to feelings of shame - people who experience or internalise stigma are more likely to report symptoms of depression, anxiety, diabetes distress and low self-esteem. 

Evidence of diabetes stigma

• Over half of people we surveyed said that stigma, judgement or shame means they sometimes avoid medical appointments.
• Across the UK over 8 in 10 people with type 1 and over 7 in 10 people with type 2 say they experience blame and judgement for their condition
• People from Black African, Black Caribbean and South Asian communities are more likely to experience diabetes stigma
• Almost 6 in 10 people we surveyed said stigma impacts on their own self-confidence and over half also internalise that shame and believe they are at fault
• 1 in 5 experience stigma in the workplace every few weeks, according to our survey
• Stigma is most commonly experienced close to home, from friends and family members

What impact will our campaign have

We want fewer people living with diabetes to experience stigma, which will lead to:

• more empowerment
• better health outcomes
• fewer days in hospital  
• more research investment
• new treatments
• better care.

This will contribute to a better life where they are happy and well.