Diabetes: When Eating Is Both Healthy and Enjoyable 

By Ariane Sultan, university professor specializing in diabetology, endocrinology, and nutrition, and head of the Nutrition and Diabetes Department at Lapeyronie University Hospital in Montpellier.

Different Perspectives on Diabetes and Diet

Diabetes is defined by elevated blood sugar levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia. “It is a chronic condition, meaning that diabetes cannot be cured, but blood sugar levels can be managed, which helps reduce the risk of complications associated with hyperglycemia,” explains Professor Ariane Sultan.

Scheduled as part of European Disability Employment Week (EDEW), the conference will focus specifically on the unique characteristics of type 2 diabetes, a metabolic and potentially disabling condition that is on the rise. This conference will provide an opportunity to understand the practical impacts of diabetes and raise awareness about the consequences of this disability in everyday life. Within the UM, people with diabetes can apply for Recognition of Disabled Worker Status (RQTH) and benefit from workplace accommodations, among other support measures.

As Ariane Sultan notes, “It is estimated that nearly 5% of the French population currently has type 2 diabetes. Projections indicate that this prevalence will rise, in direct correlation with the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity.”

Food is much more than just fuel for the body. It is a key determinant of health, influencing both our physical and mental well-being. Ariane Sultan will discuss the qualitative and quantitative aspects of nutrition, highlighting dietary choices that support the prevention and management of diabetes.

She will explain how a tailored diet can help improve blood sugar control, while taking into account individual lifestyles and preferences. She will also discuss the latest nutritional recommendations and strategies for supporting people living with this condition. “We’ll be advocating for a healthy diet for people with diabetes. Ultimately, this is the kind of diet we should recommend to anyone who wants to be healthy,” explains Ariane Sultan.

Bringing about a paradigm shift

Far from restrictive diets, Professor Ariane Sultan advocates for a humanistic and compassionate approach to nutrition, in which the enjoyment of food takes center stage. Eating must remain an act of joy, sharing, and culture, even in the context of a chronic illness, and become a true form of care for everyone. “Maintaining enjoyment and quality of life is essential to supporting people living with diabetes, ” concludes Ariane Sultan.

This conference will encourage us to rethink our relationship with food, to balance health and enjoyment, and to better support people living with diabetes—an invisible disability—in achieving a better quality of life.

The conference will be followed by a presentation on diet and type 2 diabetes by the Joint Department of Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion (SCMPPS).

If you have any questions about the event’s accessibility, please contact the Handiversité office byemail.

Conference organized by the Handiversité office—Campus Life Department of the University of Montpellier (UM)—as part of UM’s Disability Action Plan and the European Week for the Employment of People with Disabilities (SEEPH).