Caught Caring: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Diabetes Aware

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has battled wrestlers, spies and all manner of bad guys on screen. In real life, he’s tackling an even more powerful foe: diabetes. “Get outside. Play a game. Do something active together,” urges the Scorpion King star — who’s just been named the new national ambassador for the Diabetes Aware campaign — in a public service announcement that made its debut yesterday on PEOPLE.com.

In the PSA, sponsored by Novo Nordisk and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, the 37-year-old actor says,

“We can make a difference in our own families through exercise, eating right and teaching healthy behaviors to our children.”

The campaign aims to reach the 24 million Americans living with diabetes, along with the estimated 6.2 million who are unaware they have the disease.

“I want to encourage families to be active and eat right,” says Dwayne, who is dad to 8-year-old daughter Simone Alexander.

“Small steps can go a long way in managing diabetes, its complications, and raising healthy, active children.”

The actor becomes the latest celebrity ambassador to join the Diabetes Aware program since it began in 2004.

Past ambassadors include Halle Berry, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Dustin Hoffman.

– Missy

Comments

That is one handsome man. And a very good thing that he’s doing. I love when celebrities use their influence for something good.

- RibbonInTheSky on August 13th, 2009

You know, I am getting tired of seeing this ad. It is a wonderful campaign for awareness towards TYPE 2 DIABETES. It is doing a horrible disservice to the children in this world suffering through the daily maintenance of TYPE 1 DIABETES.

As the parent of a 4 year old girl who lives with type 1 diabetes, I am saddened that there is no effort made to differentiate between the 2 diseases.

Type 1 diabetes is not something my daughter “came down with”. It isn’t something she will outgrow or can cure through diet and exercise. She didn’t eat too much candy, is not overweight and at 13 months old, did not do a single thing to bring this disease on.

TYPE 1 DIABETES, (in the past known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes, or Juvenile Diabetes) describes a type of diabetes where there is an absolute lack of insulin. The Beta cells (in the pancreas) normally responsible for making and secreting insulin die because the body’s immune system has attacked them. Therefore no cells are available to make the insulin. In this case, the body will die without getting supplemental insulin in the immediate, or near-immediate future. The incidence of Type 1 diabetes has probably been underestimated in the past, and may represent 10% or more of people with diabetes. The only treatment at this time, is insulin shots.

In TYPE 2 DIABETES, (in the past, known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes, Adult Onset Diabetes, Maturity Onset Diabetes, and others), beta cells are present, and therefore insulin is present. However the amount of insulin available is less than the individual requires (i.e., there is a relative lack of insulin). Furthermore, the insulin itself, in someone with Type 2 diabetes, doesn’t work as well as it should when it gets to the cell, a state called Insulin Resistance. About 90% of diabetics fall into this category. Treatment may include proper diet, activity/exercise, and pills, but sometimes insulin is necessary.

I wish that in the future, you would take the time to research things like this before you post them. While Mr. Johnson is doing a wonderful thing by getting involved with this campaign, he and the Diabetes Awareness program and additionally Celebrity Baby Blog are spreading generalized information specific only to Type 2 Diabetes.

- EliannaIsMyHero on August 13th, 2009

Um, I just looked at the website and on the left side of the page are links to information on living with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. I don’t know where you’re getting your info, but it’s pretty clear that they don’t cater to only Type 2 diabetes.

- Shannon on August 13th, 2009

Oh and did I forget to mention that he is one seriously SEXY man? *sigh*

- Shannon on August 13th, 2009

he is a very good looking man but he seems to have lost alot of weight or either he is just not bulking up anymore.

- Laura on August 13th, 2009

Shannon, my issue is that the message this particular campaign seems to put across is that if your active and eat healthy you won’t get diabetes. As a parent of a type 1 diabetic, I get frustrated that the media doesn’t EVER differentiate between the 2 types.

Eating healthy and being active will not cure my daughter nor would it have prevented her disease.

- EliannaIsMyHero on August 13th, 2009

My God, Dwayne Johnson is the epitome of beautiful/sexy/gorgeous/every other positive adjective hah!! I don’t normally swoon over celebrity men, but with him it’s just so hard not too! Keep the pics of him coming, CBB!!

- marimel on August 13th, 2009

The Rock is such a good looking man, I miss watching him on Raw and Smackdown every week. He has been looking haggard in recent years but this picture brings back that Rock sexiness.

Perhaps he will do a guest hosting gig on Raw to promote this cause? I love when celebs work together to promote something important. Kudos to him for getting out there and trying to help people.

- Mary-Helen on August 13th, 2009

I want that man… I want him.

- giftbox on August 13th, 2009

That is one steamy hunk of sexiness right there! He took my breath away and made me dizzy….what is the article about again? LOL!

- daniela on August 13th, 2009

God I love that man. He is so delicious!!!!

If I had one wish I’d be VERY tempted to use it on him

- RIP Michael on August 13th, 2009

He’s always been attractive, but this slimmed-down version is almost too much. Yum!

- bungalowbliss on August 13th, 2009

Thank you, EliannaIsMyHero. I am a type 1 diabetic and campaigns like this drive me crazy. I can exercise/be active all I want and my pancreas will never make insulin. I think it is great what Dwayne is doing . . . I just wish those people behind the campaign would distinguish type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes.

- GipperKMR on August 13th, 2009

I wanted to point out the same things that some of the other users mentioned: there is a difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes! media never differentiate between the two types.
Please explain the difference in your article because as a type 1 diabetic it is rather annoying to hear “oh, you didn’t eat healthy food as a kid but you don’t look overweight”. No, I was never overweight, my parents feed me organic food and very few sweets, it’s a genetic defect!

- denise on August 14th, 2009

Does Dwayne or Simone have diabetes? If not, why is Dwayne a celebrity ambassador ? I think it should have been a celebrity that actually has diabetes.

- eternalcanadian on August 14th, 2009

I’m sorry, I jutt went through the site for Diabetes Aware, and they make it very clear what the difference is between Type 1 and Type2. They say very clearly that Type 1 is something you’re born with, or a hereditary disease. They do say on the site that Type 2 can be controlled with diet and exercise, while Type has to be managed with insulin injections. I’m not trying to be difficult or anything. I genuinely don’t understand why you guys think they don’t distinguish between them. Have you gone to the website linked in the article? My brother and 6 year old cousin both have Type 1 diabetes, so I know how difficult it is to live with, and I’m not trying to downplay that or say you guys are overreacting, I just don’t see what the fuss is about with this particular campaign. I can see why his comments alone could be upsetting, since he seems to be talking about only Type 2. But I don’t understand why the campaign itself is upsetting people.

- Shannon on August 14th, 2009

Shannon is right.

If people would take a minute to go to the website, they would see that it’s not geared solely towards Type 2, nor is the campaign.

Halle Berry is on the front page of the website and she’s a Type 1 Diabetic.

I wish people would actually take the time to look at something before tearing it apart.

- Julie on August 14th, 2009

EliannaIsMyHero et al,

Both type I and type II diabetes are serious autoimmune disorders that can affect the circulatory and vascular systems (amputation of extremities receiving insufficient blood suppy), heart, eyes, and kidneys.

Type I: Body destroys its own insulin producing cells in the pancreas, thus, requiring an individual to need insulin injections.

Type II: The body cannot utilize its own insulin (insulin resistance) or does not produce a sufficient amount of insulin. May take oral medication or insulin injections if oral medications are insufficient.

The Diabetes Awareness campaign does indeed address that there are the two types. After clicking the link above, on the main page click “Enter Site”. On the left side it has links for each type. Also, type I is addressed in the media, as Mary Tyler Moore (diagnosed in her 30′s w/type I)is the spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (former name for type I).

Many are born with type I, but also please understand that the majority of newly diagnosed cases of diabetes is type 2. No longer is type II attributed to adults. In the U.S. more kids are also diagnosed due to some of the diet choices the average American has.

Healthy eating habits paired with exercise can allow for better management of both type I and type II diabetes. I think that is the message that they are trying to relay not just for type II diabetics Even if you have type I or II, healthy diet choices can allow an individual

Eating SUGAR does not cause diabetes. Getting diabetes is due to genetics (type I or II), having an unhealthy diet (type II), sedentary lifestyle( type II), or other factors. It’s not directly that if you eat sugar, you’re going to get diabetes.

The point is this: No matter which type, Diabetes in general can significantly affect one’s quality of life. As specified in the ad, if one eats a healthy diet paired with exercise, it can allow for better management of the disease since there is no cure.

- antoinette on August 14th, 2009

well, but in the article here it was not that differenciated or was it? it’s just rather annoying as a diabetic that often people are not informed about the difference between the two types and even if there is pointed out that there is a difference loads of articles are full of clichés.
the quotes mentioned here are obviously about type 2 diabetes and at least I miss that in the text.

- denise on August 14th, 2009

For Julie: You shouldn’t comment on a disease you clearly know nothing about, much less live with each day.

- GipperKMR on August 14th, 2009

wow he is gorgeous… whoa

- Bella Mama on August 17th, 2009

LMAO that someone is posting that Halle Berry has type 1. She does not.. she claims she’s CURED. You can’t be cured of type 1!

- LJK on August 19th, 2009

Eliannalsmyhero, I agree with you. I am the mother of a type one diabetic who is now 21. I have heard well intentioned people ask him such things as…”oh, you have SUGAR diabetes…you must really love the sweets?” And, things like “my grandmother/aunt/grandfather/uncle has diabetes and he just has to watch what he eats, maybe you will be able to do that once you get it under control.” The frustration level is through the roof when I hear the media talk about diabetes in one lump group, and then when a MEDICAL doctor gets on the tv and lumps both types together…well it just drives me crazy. I hope as your child get older she does not have to contend with these types of insensitive/ignorant remarks. I hope the awareness between the two will be made more well known. I would love to know who does the P/R for Breast cancer awareness…they really do a good job of informing the public of this disease. Good luck to you and yours.

- mj on August 24th, 2009

As both a type I diabetic (diagnosed at age 18) and medical student, it drives me crazy when I hear people make comments such as “I’m sure that if you eat better you will get your diabetes under control.” or the comments I hear from my grandmother, “My best friend was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago, and I know that taking all those pills can be tough! But she was cured after she changed her diet!” hearing things like this can be so frusturating! A simple pill and lifestyle change can’t cure type I diabetes because there are no beta cells available to make insulin. A greater effort needs to be made to differentiate between type I and type II diabetes so that such ignorence does not continue.

- Bec on January 10th, 2010

And while I think that Dwayne Johnson’s efforts are commendable, comments such as “We can make a difference in our own families through exercise, eating right and teaching healthy behaviors to our children” are misleading when used in reference to diabetes. Excercise, eating right, and healthy behavior will not prevent or cure type I diabetes… Grouping these two very different diseases together like this leads to misinformed generalizations. “The Rock” should act more informed on what he is representing.

- Bec on January 10th, 2010