Diets and discipline: the narratives of practice of university students with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions of adolescence and young adulthood. It is characterised by a demanding and complex management regime. Individuals with diabetes must engage in continual self-care actions such as eating healthily and exercising if they are to minimise their risks of developing long-term diabetes' complications. Research has demonstrated, however, that many young adults experience difficulties with exercising and eating healthily. Narrative approaches could provide important insights into the reasons why young people do or do not experience difficulties here. In this article I examine the food consumption and exercise narratives of a particular group of young adults with type 1 diabetes, university students, to see what personal, social and cultural factors influence their practices.