Oh sugar! How diabetes campaigns can be damaging to the cause they aim to serve

Numerous diabetes campaigns convey the simple message that too much sugar causes diabetes and its complications. It is easy to see the allure of appeals based on fear. The underlying assumption is that, when people are confronted emotionally with the negative effects of their behaviour, they will change such behaviour. This assumption addresses motivation, but ignores both capability and opportunity. When capability, opportunity, or both are...