Diabetes Action Month asks New Zealanders to help end diabetes stigma

This November, Diabetes New Zealand’s Diabetes Action Month campaign is asking New Zealanders to challenge assumptions and change the way they talk about diabetes.

The campaign follows a new survey by the organisation. It found nearly one in five New Zealanders would feel very uncomfortable telling others if they were diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes New Zealand says this is concerning because of the judgement, blame and negative assumptions around the condition, which can leave people reluctant to talk about it or seek help.

The survey was conducted online in September 2026 and drew more than 1,000 responses. Taking part was voluntary, and the results represent the views of the people who responded.

Why it matters

Nearly 366,000 New Zealanders are estimated to live with diabetes. Health New Zealand’s Virtual Diabetes Register estimates 365,867 people had the condition in 2025, and prevalence has risen by more than 40% since 2011.

Nobody chooses diabetes, and it has no single cause and no simple fix, Chief Executive Heather Verry says. People can still face judgement about what they eat or how they manage the condition, and fear of blame may stop them asking for help. As more people live with diabetes, tackling stigma and improving understanding is increasingly important.

Four out of five people living with diabetes in New Zealand have experienced stigma, says Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott, a leading researcher in diabetes stigma. Research links it with more distress, social isolation, disengagement from care and poorer health outcomes, and many people report being treated differently, excluded or discriminated against.

Diabetes New Zealand’s 2018 Stigma Survey found 39% of respondents had avoided disclosing their diabetes for fear of negative reactions. The organisation says research shows stigma can lead people to hide their condition or avoid managing it in public, which could compromise their health.

What the campaign asks

Diabetes Action Month is the organisation’s annual campaign. It encourages action, education, awareness and advocacy for New Zealanders with all types of diabetes and their whānau, as well as people at risk of diabetes.

This year’s theme is End Diabetes Stigma. The campaign calls on people to learn more, challenge assumptions and help create a culture where people with diabetes feel understood and supported.

Holmes-Truscott says reducing stigma is something everyone can help with. It starts with listening to people with lived experience and recognising that diabetes is far more complex than many realise. Changing how people talk about diabetes, and moving away from blame, is an important part of it.

Verry says the aim is for people living with diabetes to feel understood and supported, and confident they can seek help without fear of judgement.