Edinburgh man champions campaign against diabetes stigma

New research launched this month by healthcare company Abbott reveals that 2 in 5 Scots living with diabetes have experienced stigma from others when socialising around food and drink, and more than a third (37%) say they would even prefer to order a takeaway instead of eating out.

Ken Tait, 73, has lived with Type 2 diabetes since he was 47. The former management consultant from the north of Edinburgh, near Trinity, has received negative comments throughout his life about his diabetes. He said: “People often try to tell me what I should and shouldn’t be eating, or comment on how I can ‘reverse’ or ‘cure’ my condition, passing judgments on my lifestyle. It can be really frustrating as most of the time the comments aren’t based on facts.”

Diabetes is a widely misunderstood health condition, despite Scotland being home to more than 350,000 people living with diabetes.

Abbott's 'Above the Bias' initiative supports people living with diabetes and helps them overcome the barriers they face to receiving care.

Ken is one of many people across the UK championing Abbott’s ‘Above the Bias’ initiative to support people living with diabetes and help to overcome the barriers they face to receiving care. According to the company’s research, 40% of people with diabetes globally say they have skipped or missed a doctor’s appointment due to the shame and stigma associated with their condition.

Having moved and retrained as a psychotherapist, Ken now runs a support group in Kent to navigate some of the common challenges and misguided comments people like him with Type 2 diabetes face daily. This includes attitudes towards food when socialising, a lack of visibility around the realities of living with diabetes, misinformed assumptions about treatment and management, and unequal access to diabetes technology.

He now actively speaks about these subjects at diabetes conferences and is a passionate advocate for the diabetes community, driving awareness of diabetes prejudice and the negative impact this has on those living with the condition. Ken was most recently invited to an immersive theatre event in London which he contributed to, where unsuspecting diners experienced stigmatising comments based on real experiences like his.

Ken believes addressing diabetes stigma is more important than ever, as the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise, he said: “I have lived with my condition for more than 25 years, so I’ve learnt to deal with stigma and bias — but for those recently diagnosed, the narrative needs to change. We need to break these stigmas and better educate to increase understanding of the condition so people don’t feel alone.

Ken Tait, 73, supports Abbott's 'Above the Bias' initiative to support people living with diabetes and overcome the barriers they face to receiving care.

“Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition, but when managed in the right way, there is no reason why you cannot continue to live a full and happy life.”

To find out more about diabetes stigma and the Above the Bias initiative, visit: AboveBias.com