11 Celebrities Who Have Spoken Out About Their Battle With Diabetes

By Jess Catcher Updated: December 10, 2019

“Stars, they’re just like us!” OK, that might be a bit of a cliché, but there is something comforting about learning your favorite celebrities have gone through similar experiences as you. After all, they seem like untouchable visions of perfection on red carpets and magazine covers — but underneath the glitz and glamor, they really are only human.

This includes health struggles, like a diabetes diagnosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100 million American adults are currently living with some form of diabetes. With a number that big, it’s no wonder several famous faces have opened up about their own battles with the condition. There’s no number of Oscars, chart-topping tunes, or other fancy accolades that can make someone immune to any malady, but especially one that’s become so prominent.

Take a look to see which of your favorite celebs have spoken out about their lives with diabetes and the advice they’ve shared to stay healthy.

Randy Jackson

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The former American Idol host spoke with us about how he changed his life after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 18 years ago. On top of gastric bypass surgery helping him lose 120 pounds, he recommended therapy for everyone. "Behavior modification is the therapy that helps people stop smoking, lose weight...," he said. "Think about any big lifestyle change you just have to do, because you have to change the way you look at it. Because if you look at it the same way you always did, you're always going to see it that way."
Halle Berry

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The actress often posts about her fitness regime on Instagram, and in 2018 she revealed that she has diabetes. "Being diabetic most of my life, I have always had to take food very seriously," she wrote. "So for years, I have been following the keto or ketogenic diet. I hate the word 'diet' so while you’ll see the word diet, just know I encourage you to think of it as a lifestyle change NOT A DIET! Keto is a very low-carb food plan which actually forces your body to burn fat like crazy." The actress even claimed the diet helped to reverse her type 2 diabetes.
Delta Burke

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The Designing Women actress told Eating Well that it took a long time for her to get the correct diagnosis from physicians. "They said I had Epstein-Barr. I knew it was something else. Then one doctor did the right tests and told me I had diabetes." Along with lowering the glucose in her diet, she credits her husband, fellow actor Gerald McRaney, with helping her find a healthy balance. "He's been great," she said. "It didn't matter to him how fat I got. He reminds me what I should be doing or shouldn't be eating. He likes to give me my shots and says it makes him feel like he's taking care of me."
Jean Smart

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The fellow Designing Woman actress revealed in 1998 that along with exercise, which she called the "best thing in the world for me, exercise is like the cure-all," that she relies on insulin to help with her type 1 diabetes.
Salma Hayek

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The Academy Award winning actress spoke about her diagnosis of gestational diabetes — which occurs during pregnancy, even if the mother didn't have any signs of the condition before getting pregnant — with Parent Magazine. "I got gestational diabetes, which I didn't realize at first. It occurs in women who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. I didn't know whether I was feeling bad because I was pregnant or whether something was seriously wrong. I was nauseated for nine months, which can be one of the symptoms."
Paula Deen

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After announcing her diagnosis with type 2 diabetes in 2012, many judged the chef for regularly promoting fried food — and plenty of butter — in her recipes. "I have always encouraged moderation," she told TODAY. "I share with you all these yummy, fattening recipes, but I tell people, in moderation." She relies on more of that moderation in her own cooking and an insulin prescription to keep her symptoms in check.
Larry King

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The talk show host revealed in 2015 that despite eating healthier after his diabetes diagnosis, he can be tempted by sweet treats — but only allows himself small indulges. "I still have the cravings, and sometimes, you know what I do? There’ll be a birthday cake. I’ll take a tiny little piece just to get a little sweetness in my mouth but I resist having more because I really think about living," he told LA Times in 2015. "I’m not ready to go yet. I’m too curious."
Mary Tyler Moore

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The legendary sitcom actress was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in her early 30s and spent the rest of her life as a passionate activist for research and treatments for the condition. She also served as the International Chairman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), an organization she credited for helping to develop laser eye surgery that saved her from a diabetic complication that would have caused her to go blind. "The millions who suffer from diabetes still confront the specter of devastating complications, despite our best efforts,” she said. “Insulin is not a cure — it is life support, enabling us to live our lives until a cure is found.”
Tom Hanks

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The affable actor revealed he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes back in 2013 and joked about his weight gain and unhealthy eating habits that led to the diagnosis, "I was heavy. You've seen me in movies. You know what I looked like. I was a total idiot." Luckily, he has since changed his diet to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Patti LaBelle

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The singer told People about how being "hooked on fried chicken and pasta" led to her diagnosis with type 2 diabetes in the '90s. Luckily, she was able to bounce back by shifting her cooking habits (less frying and more sautéing). "I feel great now. I live the right way. I wear fierce clothes. God has blessed me. Everything I do now, I do it proud. I am a divabetic!”
Dick Clark

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The legendary TV host was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1994, but didn't let that get in the way of his unflappable worth ethic. "Diabetes shouldn't slow you down," Clark said in 2004. He changed his diet to only eat "good food" and added 20 minutes of exercise to his daily routine. He and Mary Tyler Moore (who both passed away in their 80s) serve as incredible examples of how you can live long, healthy lives with diabetes.