‘Parks and Rec’ Actor Retta Opens Up About Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

• Actor Retta shares her personal journey with type 2 diabetes and learning about glucose health.
• She is spreading awareness for National Glucose Awareness Week, which will take place from September 23-29, 2024.
• Experts explain factors that influence glucose health.

Whether it’s her roles in “Parks & Recreation,” “Good Girls,” “Hit Man,” and “Ugliest House in America,” or her real-life persona on Instagram, actor Retta knows how to get people’s attention through humor and connection.

“It’s easier to be able to laugh when you hear bad news…it kind of gives you a stress release,” she told Healthline. “[We’re] all human, and being honest about your humanity tends to affect and help people generally.”

She’s opening up about her type 2 diabetes diagnosis in hopes of helping others.

In early 2022, her doctor informed her that her blood sugar levels were bordering prediabetes. In between traveling for “Ugliest House in America,” she focused on eating and exercising, and her numbers would fall within a healthy range.

“[I] knew that when I traveled, my eating and my movement wasn’t on par with when I’m home,” said Retta.

In November 2022, her doctor diagnosed her with type 2 diabetes, and she began taking medication.

“I’m privileged enough to go to the doctor regularly, and also, I’m a little bit of a scaredy cat, so I need to know what’s going on,” said Retta. “I didn’t know how easily I was able to jump right into that range of being diabetic.”

In fact, 20% of people with type 2 diabetes and 80% of those with prediabetes are undiagnosed and unaware of their glucose levels.

The week intends to spread awareness about glucose and encourage people to take action to own their glucose health by featuring a variety of educational resources.

Participants also have the chance to win prizes as they expand their knowledge and spread the word about the importance of being glucose-aware. From September 30 to October 13, they can participate in a nationwide step challenge and compete for prizes.

“When I partnered with Dexcom, I was fascinated with how many people have diabetes or prediabetes and most of which don’t even know about it,” said Retta.

She wants people to know their blood sugar levels and to understand that there are ways to regulate it.

“[I] know now whenever I do my coffee in the morning, I’m going to have a spike. Now I know I need to use a little less creamer, even though that’s my favorite part of the drink…and my spikes don’t go off the charts,” said Retta.

In a recent Dexcom-Stelo survey, only 10% of respondents with type 2 diabetes who were not on insulin and those with prediabetes said they understand the factors that cause changes in their glucose extremely well.

Dr. Karl Nadolsky, endocrinologist and diplomate at the American Board of Obesity Medicine, said keeping glucose levels close to the goals a doctor prescribes is essential to minimize the risk of long-term complications such as diabetic eye disease, nerve disease, kidney disease, heart disease and more.

Keeping glucose levels stable is also important.

“We do think that increased variability also increases these risks so preferably average blood sugar is to goal while also minimizing significant variability (ups and downs),” he told Healthline. “[There] is a wide clinical spectrum of glycemic struggles and goals in type 2 diabetes depending upon existence of complications and medications indicated or required for holistic care.”

A healthy glucose range can vary depending on a person’s age, how long they have had diabetes, and what other medical conditions they have, noted Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and Chief Medical Officer at Found.

“There is currently a trend to not have any fluctuations at all amongst the biohacking community (i.e., even food should lead to minimal spikes), but some variation between the fasted state and post-meal state is normal,” she told Healthline.

Kumar said people should understand the role of exercise and muscle metabolism.

“Managing blood sugar is not just about what food we take in but also about how we use up that sugar in our blood,” said Kumar. “The more active our muscles are, the more leeway we may have with what we put in it.”

Nadolsky agreed. He said while a variety of eating plans can help create an energy deficit for weight loss and treat the underlying obesity causing insulin resistance and risk of type 2 diabetes and while specific food choices can minimize high blood sugar, exercise is critical for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes because it helps improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugars.

“Resistance training should be a priority while increasing aerobic and non-exercise physical activity as much as possible to include volume and intensity,” said Nadolsky.

He reiterated that there is more to treating diabetes and health goals beyond simply managing blood sugar.

“We don’t need to get blood sugars perfect, per se, but do need to emphasize the bigger picture starting with obesity as the underlying root cause of the pathophysiology, heart and kidney health, and other related health issues,” said Nadolsky.

The Dexcom-Stelo survey found that since receiving their diagnosis, 45% of people with type 2 diabetes not using insulin or those who have prediabetes have faced confusion about how to effectively manage their condition.

Additionally, half of the respondents have faced decreased confidence in their overall health.

“Once you know [you have diabetes], then you have the ability to help yourself, so you have that empowerment of knowing when I do this, it causes this, so that’s what the glucose awareness is about…making you aware of what happens and how to avoid it,” she said.

She also hopes that sharing her story will help normalize living with diabetes.

“It’s the kind of thing that if enough people talk about it, it’s kind of quote, unquote old news, so I guess my theory is talk about it, and it won’t be stigmatized,” Retta said.