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  • With Mayo Clinic diabetes educators

    Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.

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  • Living with diabetes blog

  • Nov. 17, 2011

    Generational influence and controlling impulses

    By Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.

4 comments posted

Controlling Your Diabetes

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I'm a baby boomer, and a significant number of people in my generation have type 2 diabetes. As we've discussed before, here, lifestyle choices — along with age and heredity — can be predisposing factors for developing type 2 diabetes. Might the generation in which you grew up have a major impact on your chances of developing type 2 diabetes? Let's take a brief look at general descriptions of a few generations.

  • Veterans. Those who grew up between 1925 and 1945 are noted as generally being respectful of authority, hardworking, conservative, supportive of hierarchy and disciplined.
  • Baby boomers. Individuals born between 1946 and 1964 are said to value individualism, express creativity, be somewhat egocentric and have a strong work ethic. Television also heavily influenced this generation.
  • Generation X. Those who grew up between 1965 and 1980 generally value self-reliance and a balance between work and a personal life. They are less loyal to corporate culture. They were often latch-key children and have experienced a lifetime of exposure to multiple technologies such as video games, cell phones and computers.
  • Generation Y (or millennials). This generation grew up between 1980 and 2000. They were raised in structured, safe, multicultural environments and are accustomed to instantaneous technologies.

The baby boomer generation is known to be a bit self-centered, and subsequent generations have gotten used to immediate satisfaction from parents, technology, and society. It seems patience is a lost virtue today. Many people don't want to wait for anything and need instant gratification in all areas of life. Consider the following common choices that can inhibit diabetes management.

  • Impulse shopping in the grocery store
  • Snacking throughout the day
  • Choosing to skip exercise rather than wait for a machine at the gym if it's being used
  • Not preparing for a new event or life change; wanting to be told what to do and get on with it
  • Wanting a magic pill that will take care of a problem without any personal change or discipline
  • Not planning activities or exercise and taking the car because it's faster

The marshmallow experiment is a well-known experiment conducted by Walter Mischel at Stanford University in the 1960s. The experiment evaluated impulse control in a group of 4-year-olds. The children were given a marshmallow and promised another if they could wait 20 minutes before eating the first one. Some children could wait; others couldn't. Researchers followed the children into adolescence, and those with the ability to wait were better adjusted and scored higher in aptitude tests.

What do you think? Are there any valid points in my thought process today? Do you think generational influence plays a role in managing your diabetes?

Have a great week,

Nancy

4 comments posted

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  • November 28, 2011 12:36 p.m.

    I too am a Boomer, diagnosed with Type 2 some 30 years ago. I am quite healthy although insulin is not helping with weight. Self-control is sometimes missing when there is too much temptation, but eating healthy most of the time and maybe just taking a taste helps with immediate satisfaction. Everyone has triggers and learning what they are goes a long way toward control over the eating situation. More preparation for situations is the best advice and not beating oneself up when not adhereing to the plan helps self-esteem.

    - Kathleen

  • November 25, 2011 8:34 a.m.

    I'm a type 2 baby boomer having been a type 2 for about 25 years. I probably control my diabetes better than those relatives before me, which is not saying much at all. It's taken me a long time to 'get it' as far as knowing what to do, and then actually be able to do it consistently. I am a constant work in motion in my attempts to stay on the straight and narrow as I often fall victim to not eating healthy/eating sweets, etc. I know I can 'feel' it whether I'm good or not so good. Hopefully, it will not be the thing to do me in! BTW, the description above seems to be a good fit for me.

    - Sharon

  • November 22, 2011 2:17 p.m.

    I'm a model 1956 and have type 2 I guess my IQ is low because I dont have a single clue of what marshmallows as to do with anything in my life (I hate the things). As the magic pill is concern one can only dream ¤¤¤¤¤¤

    - Michaël

  • November 17, 2011 9:38 p.m.

    The number one factor influencing my husband in his control of his diabetes is a strong will to live. He is a babyboomer born extremely premature, healthy all his life, then developed late-onset Type 1 diabetes, initially misdiagnosed as Type 2. Vigilance in blood testing, carb counting and healthy eating are at the top of his priorities list.

    - Jean

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