Our international review highlights the progress, challenges and future of the global #LanguageMatters movement
By Dr Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott
Language is more than just words. It shapes how we think, feel and act. In diabetes, language shapes how people understand the condition, talk about it and live with it. When language is respectful, accurate and person-centred, it can help build trust, connection and engagement. It may also support wellbeing and inclusion. But judgemental or stigmatising language can cause harm. It can lead to shame, distress, isolation and poorer experiences of care.
Our new expert review, published in Diabetic Medicine, explores the origins of the global #LanguageMatters movement, how it has evolved over the past decade, and where it may go next. The review was conducted by an international team of researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience of diabetes.
What we did
We reviewed diabetes language guidance from around the world. We searched academic literature, websites and other resources to learn how these documents were developed, who they were written for, and the recommendations they contain. Many of these resources are available here.
We also reviewed research on the language preferences of people living with diabetes. We also looked at how this guidance is being used in healthcare, research, policy and the wider community.
What we found
The first national diabetes language position statement was published in Australia in 2011 by Diabetes Australia and developed by the ACBRD. Since then, the movement has grown rapidly. By 2025, we found 32 guidance documents from more than 19 countries. See Figure 1.
Together, these resources have identified more than 50 problematic or non-preferred terms. Around half of these were not included in the original Australian statement. Most guidance documents apply to all types of diabetes and many different audiences, including health professionals, researchers, policymakers, the media, families and communities. All focus on spoken language. Some also recognise the importance of written, visual and non-verbal communication.
Importantly, these documents do more than recommend words to use or avoid. They also share a common set of principles for stigma-free communication.
These principles include being:
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- Respectful
- Empathic and compassionate
- Collaborative
- Person-centred
- Strengths-based and empowering
- Neutral and non-judgemental
- Accurate and clear
- Curious and open
- Culturally competent
- Encouraging and hopeful
- Accessible and easy to understand
- Consistent, with words and actions align
- Blame-free
Together, these principles promote dignity, reduce stigma and support partnerships in diabetes care.
Progress, gaps and opportunities
Our review found encouraging signs of progress. Language guidance is increasingly being included or adopted in clinical standards, professional education, academic journals, conferences and media reporting. However, challenges remain. Adoption is still slow and uneven. Stigmatising language continues to appear in healthcare, research, policy and public discussions about diabetes. There is also limited evidence about the real-world effects of changing language on care experiences, behaviours and health outcomes.
We identified several important unanswered questions, including:
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- How do language preferences differ across cultures, age groups, diabetes types and care settings?
- How does diabetes language affect wellbeing, self-care and healthcare engagement over time?
- How can we measure stigmatising language consistently across healthcare, research, media and policy?
- How does the language of diagnostic classifications, clinical records, referrals and curricula influence diabetes clinical care and healthcare culture?
- How can language guidance keep pace with new technologies, treatments and evolving community preferences?
- What approaches are most effective for creating lasting change?
Why it matters
The #LanguageMatters movement has achieved remarkable momentum in a relatively short time. But language guidance is only the first step. The next phase requires stronger implementation, better evaluation, and integration of stigma-free communication into policies, systems, education and everyday practice. Most importantly, it requires partnership with people living with diabetes.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to diabetes language. While the guidance identifies shared principles, people’s preferences and experiences differ. This means we need to listen, avoid assumptions and adapt our communication to the individual.
The goal is simple: to create a world where every conversation about diabetes supports dignity, connection and wellbeing. Achieving this goal will require better guidance, changes across health systems and, most importantly, listening. The most respectful language is often the language preferred by the person in front of us.
Want to learn more? Check out our blogs on #LanguageMatters and #EndDiabetesStigma.
Reference:
Holmes‐Truscott E, Ekpor E, Litterbach E, Scibilia R, Kar P, Dickinson JK, Guzman S, Garza M, Asaad M, Barone MT, Selvan C. From language matters to stigma‐free communication in diabetes: Evolution, challenges, and next steps. Diabetic Medicine. 2026 Apr 5:e70311.
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