Endocrinologists have called for increased public awareness regarding the true causes of diabetes, dispelling the widespread belief that it is caused by curses or witchcraft.
According to health specialists, diabetes is a chronic condition primarily influenced by lifestyle factors rather than supernatural forces.
During a free diabetes screening event at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), held on November 14 in recognition of World Diabetes Day, experts emphasized the importance of managing the disease through proper diet, exercise, and medication.
They stressed that poor lifestyle habits, such as unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity, and excessive consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol commonly trigger diabetes.
Professor Olufemi Fasanmade, an expert in Medicine and Endocrinology at the University of Lagos, noted that despite many misconceptions, diabetes is not a mystical condition but a result of poor lifestyle choices.
He highlighted the role of obesity, sedentary behavior, and an unhealthy diet in the development of the disease.
Fasanmade said, “Some people think that it is due to witchcraft, a curse or a spell. And I remember yesterday, one of my patients was saying, doctor, I don’t want to develop diabetes. And when I asked why? She said that for those who have diabetes, it must be a curse. In my mind, I was smiling.
“Anybody can have diabetes, even an imam, a pastor, a president. So, it has nothing to do with a curse on anybody. It is a lifestyle change and problem.
“The lifestyles that promote diabetes are obesity, inadequate exercise, excessive drinking of alcohol, excessive consumption of carbonated soft drinks, or refined carbohydrates such as sugar, among others. Taking too much of all those things can promote obesity, which usually leads to both hypertension and diabetes.”
Dr. Ede Obiamaka, a senior registrar at LUTH, added that many people, particularly in Nigeria, continue to associate diabetes with spiritual causes.
However, she emphasized the need for a more informed approach to diabetes prevention and management.
