Here is an article by AOL about "Preventing Diabetes:" http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/diabetes/never-get-diabetes
I believe the words "type 2" was only mentioned a few times (one that I actually saw). In my opinion, the exercising/eating better "tips" seem to be more directed to type 2 anyway, more so than type 1. Does anyone agree with me? And if you do, should we be posting comments on the article requesting they fix the mistake and call it "Preventing Type 2 Diabetes"? Or am I just weird & reading too much into this?
Alyssa - since you called me out on this one, here's my 2 cents :) - I might be just conditioned to it but I just assumed it was already for type 2. Some of the non diabetics out there may not get the difference but over on the left side there is a section for type 1 diabetes and different types of diabetes so hopefully people will navigate there. I think they put "Preventing Diabetes" instead of "Preventing Type 2 Diabetes" because Type 2 is the majority - which of course would get us into another discussion of how much attention they get yadda yadda yadda. Needless to say, I would like to see them throw the Type 2 in there. We could all send comments to the media when they leave out the T2 part, I just don't know how much it would help. I think your idea about making a splash might just help in a better way. Make more of a splash and the media wakes up right?
Little teeny droplets are splashes too :) Even if it doesn't get anything changed, others that read that article will figure it out though, too, that it's more type 2 than one.
I feel like a bad person. I'm sorry I accused you for window forum shopping :( I take it back...
I forgive you - sometimes I just need to think through what I want to say (or just get busy at work). For you, I will send a little dropplet and make a comment to them.
I don't think you are reading too much into it. I think that it is a sensitive topic for alot of us T1's out there because as much as T1 and T2 are both forms of diabetes, they are sooo different.
I find it very frustrating that people do not know there is a difference because so much of the media only discusses t2 and when they don't always specify it creates confusion and a lack of awareness.
Just the other day one of my coworkers told me that her boyfriend told her to stop eating because he doesnt want her to get diabetes. She is 22 and no where near t2 diabetes. Its sooo frustrating to have those kind of misconceptions out there.
That all being said Im not sure waht can be done to bring more awareness of the differences between the two types. It would just be nice if the media would ALWAYS specify, even if it doesnt fix the misconceptions, at least people will know there is a difference and pehaps have a better understanding.
ya i understand the frustration part of the difference between type 1 and 2. If people know anything about diabetes it usually is always type 1 and when they ask me if thats what i have. They usually respond with oh you have the bad one...it always bothers me. But on the topic of the coincidences with diagnosing dates. I was diagnosed on the fourth of July weekend, but I had had it for a long time. I spent a week in the hospital. I was really sick. But two weeks later my cousin was a year younger then I was at the time and was diagnosed because of the same symptoms. I know that they checked him out because of me so that wasn't weird but I did think the age thing was interesting.
These kind of commercials and ads bother me too, so I wrote the CDC, and asked them to either rename T1, or rename T2. It probably won't happen, but it is a start. Oh, and I think our little droplets do help. Example; There is a nutri-system commercial for a safe "Diabetes" diet, when this commercial first aired it only said Diabetes. I saw the same commercial Sunday, and it now states in print, and with a voice over, Type 2 Diabetes. Maybe they had too many complaints :)
I've started writing down the names of companies that make this mistake when I see them on TV, read something, or hear it on the radio. When I get a big enough list, I plan to contact them and call it on em. I know I'm one person, I know it is a droplet :) but I bet companies are more sensative to being called on something that appears to be a mistake in their add than "change for us!"
Honestly as long as there's no real public distinction between Type 1 and Type 2 this sort of thing is going to happen. I'm pretty sure this has been mentioned before, but it seems to me like Type 1 and Type 2 should just be completely different names. They are not the same, so I don't understand why they are grouped together. With that being said, I'm pretty much used to it, so articles like that aren't a big deal to me. I try to raise awareness with people I speak to and I try not to worry about things that are out of my hands.