Researchers looked at what young people with type 1 diabetes talk about on social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit. They analyzed over 3,000 posts from 2020 to 2024 and found that teens use these platforms to discuss blood sugar management, share feelings, get support from friends, and talk about their daily lives. Different platforms served different purposes: Twitter was used more for quick thoughts and awareness campaigns, while forums like Reddit were better for detailed advice and long-term support. This research shows that social media can be a helpful tool for young people managing diabetes, and it helps doctors and app makers understand how to better support teens online.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: What topics do young people with type 1 diabetes talk about on social media, and do different platforms like Twitter and forums have different conversations?
  • Who participated: Young people with type 1 diabetes who posted on Twitter, Reddit, and Diabetes.co.uk between January 2020 and January 2024. Researchers identified 141 young people and analyzed their 3,024 posts total.
  • Key finding: Young people discussed 24 different topics about living with diabetes. Seven topics appeared on all platforms (like blood sugar management and emotional support), while Twitter had unique discussions about advocacy and awareness, and forums focused more on detailed advice about complications and travel.
  • What it means for you: If you’re a teen with type 1 diabetes, social media can be a real tool for managing your condition and connecting with others. Different platforms work better for different needs—Twitter for quick support and inspiration, forums for detailed problem-solving. This research can help app developers and doctors create better online support tools.

The Research Details

Researchers collected public posts from three social media platforms over four years. They used a computer program called ’topic modeling’ to automatically identify what subjects people were discussing. Then they used artificial intelligence to summarize the topics and had real people double-check the results to make sure they were accurate. This combination of computer analysis and human review helped ensure the findings were reliable.

The study looked at posts from Twitter (a platform for quick thoughts), Reddit (a forum for longer discussions), and Diabetes.co.uk (a diabetes-specific forum). By comparing what people said on each platform, researchers could see if different platforms served different purposes for young people managing diabetes.

This approach is powerful because it looks at what people actually post, not just what they say they do in interviews. It gives a real picture of how young people are using social media to manage their health.

Previous research asked young people to remember and describe their social media use, which can be unreliable. This study looked at actual posts, giving a more accurate picture. By examining multiple platforms, researchers discovered that each one serves different needs—some are better for quick emotional support, others for detailed medical advice. This helps healthcare providers and app makers understand where to focus their efforts.

The study used a large sample of real posts (over 3,000) collected over four years, which makes the findings more reliable. The researchers combined computer analysis with human verification, reducing the chance of errors. However, the study only looked at public posts from people who were willing to share online, so it may not represent all young people with diabetes. The study also couldn’t identify every young person with diabetes online, so some posts may have been missed.

What the Results Show

Researchers found that young people with type 1 diabetes discuss 24 different topics on social media. Seven topics appeared across all platforms: managing blood sugar levels, making friends and building community, dealing with COVID-19, connecting diet to diabetes, using diabetes devices (like pumps and monitors), expressing emotions, and dealing with money problems related to diabetes care.

The way people talked about these topics varied by platform. On Twitter, discussions about blood sugar management made up 9% of posts, while on forums it was 16.6%. Emotional expression was important on both platforms (12.9% on Twitter, 23.4% on forums). Money problems were discussed much more on Twitter (18.2%) than on forums (4.3%), suggesting Twitter users were more likely to publicly advocate for better insurance coverage.

Twitter had seven unique topics that didn’t appear much on forums: speaking up for diabetes awareness, celebrating ‘diaversaries’ (diabetes anniversaries), talking about daily life, correcting misunderstandings about diabetes, teaching others, complaining about insulin prescriptions, and sharing experiences with doctors. Forums had three unique topics: complications from diabetes, being newly diagnosed, and traveling with diabetes.

The study revealed important differences in how platforms are used. Twitter discussions were more immediate and personal, with people sharing daily reflections and quick thoughts. Forums encouraged longer, more detailed conversations where people asked questions and gave advice to each other. Diabetes devices were discussed frequently on both platforms (12.5% on Twitter, 24.1% on forums), showing that technology is important to young people managing diabetes. Community and friendship discussions were more common on forums (9.6%) than Twitter (4.3%), suggesting forums are better for building lasting relationships.

Earlier studies asked young people directly about their social media use, and those studies found that people mainly used social media for information and emotional support. This new research confirms those findings but also discovered that young people talk about topics like COVID-19, advocacy, and celebrating diabetes milestones much more than previous studies suggested. This shows that when researchers look at actual behavior instead of asking people to remember, they find a more complete picture.

This study only looked at public posts, so it missed private messages and closed groups where some young people might discuss diabetes. The researchers could only identify young people with diabetes based on what they wrote, so some posts may have been missed or incorrectly identified. The study doesn’t tell us how many young people with diabetes use social media versus how many don’t. Additionally, the findings reflect posts from 2020-2024, so patterns may have changed since then. The study also couldn’t determine if social media actually helps people manage their diabetes better—it only shows what they talk about.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a young person with type 1 diabetes, consider using social media as part of your diabetes management toolkit. Use Twitter or similar platforms for quick emotional support, daily motivation, and connecting with the diabetes community. Use forums for detailed advice about specific problems, learning from others’ experiences, and getting help with complications or travel planning. Talk to your doctor about what online communities you’re using, and remember that while social media is helpful, it’s not a replacement for professional medical care. Confidence level: Moderate—this research shows what people discuss, but more research is needed to prove it actually improves health outcomes.

This research is most relevant for young people (teens and young adults) with type 1 diabetes who want to use social media for support. It’s also important for parents, doctors, diabetes educators, and app developers who want to understand how young people manage diabetes online. Healthcare providers can use this information to recommend appropriate platforms to their patients. App makers can design better digital tools based on what they learn about how different platforms serve different needs.

You might feel emotional support and connection within days or weeks of joining a diabetes community online. However, practical benefits like better blood sugar management or learning new management techniques may take weeks to months to show up. Long-term benefits like sustained peer support and reduced feelings of isolation develop over months and years of consistent engagement.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track which topics or discussions you engage with most on social media (blood sugar management, emotional support, device troubleshooting, etc.) and note how they affect your mood and diabetes management. Rate your sense of community and support on a scale of 1-10 weekly to see if online engagement correlates with better diabetes self-care.
  • Based on your needs, intentionally use different platforms: check Twitter or similar apps for daily motivation and quick tips, and visit forums weekly for deeper problem-solving about specific diabetes challenges. Set a reminder to share your own experiences or ask questions, since the research shows that active participation (not just reading) is part of how these communities work.
  • Monthly, review which platform discussions helped you most and which topics were most useful. Track whether increased social media engagement correlates with better blood sugar readings, improved medication adherence, or better emotional health. Adjust your platform use based on what actually helps you, and periodically discuss your online diabetes community involvement with your healthcare team.

This research describes how young people use social media to discuss type 1 diabetes, but it does not prove that social media improves diabetes management or health outcomes. Social media should never replace professional medical care from your doctor or diabetes care team. If you’re struggling with diabetes management, emotional health, or have questions about your treatment, please talk to your healthcare provider. Always consult with your doctor before making changes to your diabetes management plan based on information from social media or any online source.