Stereotype for diabetics?

Is it just me or is there a stereotype that type 1 diabetics are overweight? I just posted a question and it was assumed that I had a weight problem, when I was in fact wanting to gain muscle definition (I am 18, muscular, 170lb). I know poor control of diabetes can lead to weight gain, but juvenile type 1 diabetes is not usually caused by obesity or poor diet.

I don't mean to imply that all type 2 diabetics are obese either.

And then there's always the type twos who weren't overweight. If people could manage to move away from the TV to read, just a little, they would know that type one is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system destroys the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas. Type two is a little more mysterious because most people miss the facts. Yes, many type twos are/were obese... but not all. Yes, many type twos live/lived a sedentary lifestyle... but not all. Those who were relatively fit and still became type two are left wondering, "Why me?". The answer lies in your genes and how your ancestors lived. The answer lies in the food you eat. Compare today's diet with your ancestors' diets and the answer becomes crystal clear. Since getting back into a natural diet, my type two diabetes has reversed to the extent that I no longer take any medication whatsoever. No one has ever stereotyped me, because I don't fit the mold. Never have, never will. I broke out of the mold shortly after childbirth.

I agree.

Most people do not make a distinction between type 1 or type 2. It is just ignorance of the facts.

I think some people only skim questions before answering them. They probably saw diabetes and thought of the association of obesity and type 2. Or else, sometimes people try to answer questions they know nothing about ... but probably people in too big of a hurry and not paying attention to detail.

Yep, that's what it is. There's such a focus on Type 2 that people assume they're the same. You should come around here now and then and help educate some people, I try to pop in now and then.

There's such a "tidalwave" of obesity related type 2 diabetes that too many people stereotype.
Ignorance I guess; I answered your previous question and am guilty as first looked at your weight...that's normal high.

Type 2 are the fat ones. Type 1 diabetics all seem (my opinion) to be relatively normal. Poor control of type 1 seems to cause people to lose weight. I ate so much junk and lost over 5 pounds cause I didn't control by type 1 diabetes very well. I heard of girls who would purposely eat sugar (being diabetic type 1) and stuff to lose weight. I think people have their types mixed up

For those who are uneducated. My late husband was a juvenile diabetic who died at age 33. I know that Type 1 is not in anyone's hands. I also know, however, that Type 2 diabetes is larely associated with obesity. There are a lot of people out there who don't realize that though so yes, I'd say there is a sterotype because of miseducation or noneducation of diabetes.

It may be because 90 to 95% of diagnosed diabetics are type 2, which is increasingly being caused by being overweight. (As more and more people are overweight.)

Type 1 diabetics? Really? I think of type 1s as being thin, especially the poorly treated ones, they end up excreting much of the sugar they take in. Type 1 diabetes is never really caused by obesity or poor diet (though the diet can certainly make it much worse) it's caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce and secrete sufficient insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is obesity related, that may be what you're thinking of (and since many people do not understand the difference, it wouldn't be surprising for them to think that all diabetics are obese).

actually most of the people i know who have type 1 are quite thin.
The problem is that type 2 is the best known, and on Tv/newspaper/everywhere they say that obesity leads to diabetes, so most of the people don't know about type 1 (I can tell, because I got diagnosis of type 1 two years ago, and before that I didn't even know there were different kinds of diabetes..)

You are definately right! My son is 8 and has Type 1- he has in the 99th percentile when he was born and is now in the 85th - but he is a little chubby despite diet and exercise. So many people think that because he is diabetic because he is chubby. No doctors have ever expressed any concern. We know several children who are type 1 and are actually very skinny! But - many people don't understand that Type 1 is not related to weight. Often those people who think that say - well - he will grow out of it - right? This just goes to show their ignorance.
Good luck

The vast majority of diabetics are type 2, which is usually associated with weight control issues, poor diet and lack of exercise.

With all the the attention on type 2, those of us who are type 1 tend to get lost in the shuffle.

Type 1 is not related to weight control (in most cases but it is not unheard of...there could be an underlying cause that leads to type 1 and there can be weight issues for other reasons such as thyroid disorders).

I'm a type 1 and I have never been overweight. I'm slim, fit, active and healthy. I just have diabetes too. I use an insulin pump. My pancreas failed due to injuries I sustained in a near-fatal car accident. I had severe abdominal trauma.

What really gets me is that so many people think diabetes is just a word...and it's not. No matter what type a person has, it's a serious, life altering and life threatening disease. More education on diabetes is needed if we want to escape the stereotype and just be "us".

I see your point. It's a good one.

EMT

all diabetes to my knowledge is caused by poor diet. that doesn't mean that someone is obese (big difference). diabetes is basically your body gaining body fat over your abdominal cavity (which is proven to lower testosterone), which then limits your muscles from growing, which increases belly fat, etc etc. i will prove it with 3 links of research...