14
NEWS
Going above the line
Abbott's Above the Bias initiative.
New research and a film
from global health
tech company Abbott
highlight how ongoing
misconceptions that people with
diabetes regularly encounter may be
affecting their health.
Data from a survey of people
living with diabetes across eight
countries, including the UK, shows
that they may not be getting the care
they need due to perceived shame
and stigma around their condition,
which can lead to real and often
unnoticed health consequences.
For example, such stigma is often
experienced during socialising and
food, and Abbott's latest findings
in the UK show that, 61% of people
living with diabetes surveyed say
they feel stigma on these occasions,
specifically:
• More than a quarter (28%) say they
feel more conscious of eating food
than others
• One in five (22%) claims to have
heard negative comments about
their food choices while dining out
These experiences are stopping
some people with diabetes from
socialising around food, with more
than half (54%) of those with the
health condition preferring to order
a takeaway than to eat out.
Accordingly, Abbott's new Above
the Bias initiative is intended to
expose the health impact of bias
and misconceptions that people
living with diabetes face every
day. According to Abbott's global
research, nearly 7 in 10 people
with diabetes believe supportive
comments from others can
significantly boost their motivation to
manage their condition.