Diabetes Risk Factors
A risk factor is any attribute, characteristic or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury. For instance, as in this case of diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the body does not make or use insulin in the correct way. Different types of diabetes have various risk factors and effects on blood sugar. There are three major types of the disease: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. With all three, your body can’t make or use insulin.
Knowing the risk factors for diabetes is ve essential for preventing its more severe effects and damage. As diabetes often does not cause symptoms in its early stages, taking steps to reduce the risk factors can prevent or even reverse the condition.
Type 1 Diabetes Risk Factors
In type 1 diabetes, the body makes no insulin or not enough of the hormone. This type usually starts in childhood. The risk factors for type 1 diabetes are poorly understood. However, some potential factors have been identified.
The following are some of the main risk factors for type 1 diabetes:
-
Family History
Family history may be important in some cases of type 1 diabetes. If you have a family member with type 1 diabetes, your risk of developing it may be high. Several genes have been linked to this condition. However, not everyone who has these genes develops type 1 diabetes. Many researchers and doctors believe some type of trigger causes type 1 diabetes to develop in some people but not others.
-
Race or Ethnicity
Certain ethnicities have a higher rate of type 1 diabetes. In the United States, Caucasians seem to be more susceptible to type 1 than African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans. Chinese people have a lower risk of developing type 1, as do people in South America.
-
Age
Type 1 diabetes usually develops in younger adults and children. It is one of the most common chronic conditions that develop in childhood. Children are typically younger than 14 years old when they receive a diagnosis. Type 1 diabetes might occur at any age, although developing type 1 diabetes later in life is rare.
-
Infection or illness
Certain infections and illnesses, mostly rare ones, can damage the pancreas leading to the production of little or no insulin, thus resulting to type 1 diabetes.
-
Diseases of the pancreas
The diseases of the pancreas slow down the ability to make insulin, thereby resulting in the risk of type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors
The chances of developing type 2 diabetes depend on a combination of risk factors such as genes and lifestyle. Although one can’t change risk factors such as family history, age, or ethnicity, can change lifestyle risk factors around, like, eating, physical activity, and weight. These lifestyle changes can affect your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
-
Family history
Type 2 diabetes has a hereditary factor. If someone in your close family has (or had) it, you are more likely to develop it.
-
Weight
Being overweight is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, you don’t have to be overweight to develop type 2 diabetes.
-
Aging
Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes begins to rise significantly at about age 45 and rises considerably after age 65.
-
Gestational diabetes
If you developed gestational diabetes while you were pregnant, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases. If you gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4 kilograms), you’re also at risk of type 2 diabetes.
-
Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Left untreated, prediabetes often progresses to type 2 diabetes.
-
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
For women, having polycystic ovarian syndrome ( a common condition characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth and obesity ) increases the risk of diabetes.
Some other factors are:
- High alcohol intake.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- High-fat and carbohydrate diet.
- High blood pressure.
Gestational Diabetes Risk Factors
-
Weight
Being overweight is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, you don’t have to be overweight to develop type 2 diabetes.
-
Aging
Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes begins to rise significantly at about age 45 and rises considerably after age 65.
-
Gestational diabetes
If you developed gestational diabetes while you were pregnant, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases. If you gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4 kilograms), you’re also at risk of type 2 diabetes.
-
Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Left untreated, prediabetes often progresses to type 2 diabetes.
-
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
For women, having polycystic ovarian syndrome ( a common condition characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth and obesity ) increases the risk of diabetes.
Some of the important risk factors for gestational diabetes are:
- Family history.
- Obesity or being overweight.
- High alcohol intake.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- High-fat and carbohydrate diet.
- High blood pressure.
Diabetes Risk Factors-Who’s at Risk
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an immune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). Risk factors for type 1 diabetes are not as clear as for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Those who are prone to risk factors include:
Family history: Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 1 diabetes.
Age: You can get type 1 diabetes at any age, but it’s more likely to develop when you’re a child, teen, or young adult.
Type 2 diabetes
You are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes if you:
- Have prediabetes
- Are overweight
- Are 45 years or older
- Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
- Are physically inactive
- Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native (some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are also at higher risk)
Gestational diabetes
You’re at risk for developing gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant) if you:
- Had gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy
- Have given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
- Are overweight
- Are more than 25 years old
- Have a family history of type 2 diabetes
- Have a hormone disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander
Gestational diabetes usually goes away after your baby is born but increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. Your baby is more likely to become obese as a child or teen and is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life too.
Diabetes Risk Factors – Understand Your Risk for Diabetes
Diabetes contributes to more than enough deaths around the globe per year. But many people with Type 2 diabetes aren’t aware they have it and may already have developed various health complications associated with the disease.
Several risk factors increase the risk of developing diabetes. Some of these characteristics are non-modifiable, or beyond human control, such as:
- Family factors.
If you have a blood relative with diabetes, your risk for developing it is significantly increased. Map out your family history tree and take it to your doctor to find out what your family history may mean for you.
- Age
The older you are, the higher your risk for diabetes. Generally, Type 2 diabetes occurs in middle-aged adults, most frequently after age 45. However, healthcare providers are diagnosing more and more children and adolescents with Type 2 diabetes.
- History of gestational diabetes: If you developed diabetes during pregnancy, you are at increased risk.
Other than the above-mentioned uncontrollable factors, you should be careful about the controllable risk factors by making healthy changes, you can reduce the risk for diabetes or delay its development. The changes can also improve your overall quality of life.
By following our healthy living tips, you can take control of these modifiable risk factors. Taking proactive steps now can prevent or delay the development of diabetes, and improve your quality of life.
Diabetes Risk Factors FAQs
What are the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM)?
- Weight.
- Inactivity.
- Family history.
- Race.
- Age.
- Prediabetes.
- Gestational diabetes.
What lifestyle factors affect diabetes risk?
- Weight. The more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.
- Inactivity. The less active you are, the greater your risk.
- Family history.
- Race.
- Age.
Why is hypertension a risk factor for diabetes?
Hypertension and diabetes are both aspects of metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Who is at the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?
One is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes if he/she:
- Has prediabetes
- Is overweight
- Is 45 years or older
- Has a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
- Is physically inactive
- Has ever had gestational diabetes
What are the Risk factors for diabetes in women?
The risk factors of diabetes in women:
- Age
- Overweight or obese
- Family history of diabetes (parent or sibling)
- Race/Ethnicity
- Gestational diabetes
- High blood pressure
What are some risk factors for pre-diabetes?
The risk factors for prediabetes are largely the same as those for type 2 diabetes:
- Being obese or overweight.
- Not exercising regularly.
- Being previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
- Being over age 45.
- Having a family history of type 2 diabetes.
What are uncontrollable risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
- Age
- Ethnicity
- Genes
Is diabetes a risk factor for pancreatic cancer?
Long-standing diabetes can be considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Individuals who’ve had diabetes for more than five years can be considered at a slightly higher than average risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
It’s thought that pancreatic cancer can cause cells in the body to become resistant to insulin, a key hormone produced by the pancreas, that helps regulate blood sugar levels.
In other insulin-resistant conditions (like obesity), the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas produce more insulin to overcome the insulin resistance. But pancreatic cancer appears to impede the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas from responding adequately to this insulin resistance. This results in the development of diabetes.
How does diet influence diabetes risk?
A diet high in fat, calories, and cholesterol increases your risk of diabetes. A poor diet can lead to obesity (another risk factor for diabetes) and other health problems. A healthy diet is high in fiber and low in fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.
Is type 1 diabetes genetic?
Type 1 diabetes is genetic, in that, If a family member has or had type 1 diabetes, you are at a higher risk. If both parents have or had type 1, the likelihood of their child developing type 1 is higher than if just one parent has or had diabetes.
Is it true that most diabetics are obese?
Obesity is a major independent risk factor for developing the disease, and more than 90% of type 2 diabetics are overweight or obese, therefore it is evident that most diabetics are obese.
Can alcohol lead to Type 2 Diabetes?
Alcohol, particularly in excess, can affect blood sugar. Drinking heavily can also make your body less sensitive to insulin, which can cause type 2 diabetes, and diabetes is often a side effect of chronic pancreatitis, which is caused by excessive drinking.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about diabetes?
- Diabetes is not that serious.
- Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
- Being overweight causes diabetes.
- Having diabetes means you must eat foods that are different from everyone else’s.
- A diabetes diagnosis means you automatically need insulin.
- Only older people get diabetes.