S2E02 Why does the language of diabetes matter?

Loading player...
Let's dive in: do we need to be sensitive about diabetes and language?

There’s a growing movement toward changing the language of diabetes so that it can be more empowering for people living with diabetes. It’s time to move away from calling diabetes a disease, people with diabetes patients and those living with diabetes diabetics. But why is it so important? We ask Australian diabetes advocate and language champion Renza Scibilia to talk us through it.

As a person with diabetes, you can call yourself whatever you want - it's not about us. We can use whatever language we want. But when it comes to the media, government and healthcare providers, there are specific words and imagery that we need to change. This is a very entertaining, fast-paced conversation about why language is important.
17 May 2022 English South Africa Health & Fitness · How To

Other recent episodes

S2E08 What is the root cause of diabetes?

Let's get deep... Settle in for a fascinating conversation about diabetes. We end the second season with a fascinating discussion - Dr. Sundeep Ruder, endocrinologist and philosopher, speaks to us about taking a broader view of diabetes. What could the condition possibly be offering us in terms of life lessons,…
21 Jun 2022 28 min

S2E07 Are eating disorders common in people with diabetes?

Let's take a deep breath and talk about it - this is a hard one. We know that depression and anxiety are far more prevalent in people with diabetes, but does this extend to eating disorders too? We speak to intuitive eating counsellor Gayle Landau about her experiences with diabetes…
14 Jun 2022 37 min

S2E06 Do people with diabetes need to worry about heart health?

Here's everything you need to know about heart health and diabetes. There are a number of long-term complications of uncontrolled diabetes, among them heart disease. But is cardiovascular (heart) health something that everyone with diabetes needs to be aware of? We ask Dr. Zane Stevens to discuss diabetes and cardiovascular…
7 Jun 2022 18 min

S2E05 Is diabetes stigma a thing?

Let's have an awkward conversation about diabetes stigma... It's so real. Type 2 diabetes carries a stigma in South Africa - particularly because it has been portrayed as a ‘lifestyle disease’. What is it like to be diagnosed with a condition that some people believe you gave yourself by eating…
31 May 2022 21 min

S2E04 What is the future cost if diabetes is ignored?

We need to look at what the future looks like if we don't do anything. With 85% of South Africans accessing healthcare in the public sector, half of all people with diabetes undiagnosed and 2 in 3 South Africans on track to develop diabetes (in the prediabetes range), we should…
24 May 2022 23 min