Diabetes should not disrupt schooling or working patterns. It is difficult to study if your blood glucose is too high or too low, as this disturbs concentration. During puberty, your peer group becomes ever more important. Teaching teenagers how to balance an enjoyable social life with good diabetes management becomes a key goal at this time. As the young person matures into adulthood, having a family and children becomes increasingly important. In the long run, it is essential to prevent side effects and complications from diabetes.

How can you achieve these goals?

Traditionally there are three cornerstones of diabetes management: insulin, meal planning and exercise. The use of insulin is essential as this hormone is more or less missing from your body and it is essential for life. However, the other two cornerstones are being questioned by modern diabetes specialists, especially where children and teenagers are concerned. Eating sensibly is essential but meals that are appropriate for people with diabetes need not be very different from the sort of ordinary healthy meals that everyone can benefit from. Similarly, exercise is recommended for everyone and will help you achieve a good general level of fitness. In the past, exercise was an important part of diabetes treatment; however newer studies of diabetes and exercise do not indicate that it improves glucose control. If your blood glucose levels are high with not enough insulin, it may not be a good idea to exercise. So exercise is no longer considered as a part of actual diabetes treatment, although it is recommended for more general reasons.

Some doctors have suggested a fourth cornerstone in the treatment of diabetes, namely knowledge. A Chinese saying goes "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime".