Understanding risk factors for diabetes is important for prevention. Type 1 diabetes affects younger individuals under age 20 and is believed to be the result of autoimmune dysfunction that is inherited. Type 2 diabetes that primarily occurs in adulthood is the most prevalent form of diabetes. Risk factors for diabetes can be controlled with lifestyle modifications.
Obesity
Obesity is the leading cause of type 2 diabetes, and one of the more prominent risk factors for developing the disease. A cascade of events leads to insulin resistance when body mass index increases, known as ER (endoplasmic reticulum) stress that leads to diabetes from consuming high-fat foods and weight gain. A study published in "Endocrine Reviews" discusses mounting evidence that ER stress from obesity causes death of pancreatic cells that manufacture insulin.
Smoking
Tobacco smoking has been associated with increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. Conversely, quitting smoking can raise the short-term risk of developing diabetes from weight gain. Information from the Cleveland Clinic tells us that 16 to 25 cigarettes a day triples the chance the smoker will develop diabetes, as compared to a non-smoker. An article published by the American Heart Association in the journal "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology" found that diabetes risk increased proportionately to the number of cigarettes smoked in a study of middle-age men.
Age
Increased age is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Information from the Mayo Clinic cites inactivity, weight gain and loss of muscle mass as possible reasons that diabetes risk increases after age 45. However, type 2 diabetes is becoming more common among children, adolescents and younger adults as the result of obesity brought about by unhealthful eating habits and lack of activity.
Gestational Diabetes
Women who develop diabetes during gestation (pregnancy) are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. Higher infant birth weight (greater than 9 lb.) is associated with a greater chance that a woman will develop type 2 diabetes later in life. The American Diabetes Association estimates that gestational diabetes affects 4 percent of pregnant women. Diabetes during pregnancy stems from the effect of hormones on the body that leads to less insulin needed to keep blood sugar levels normal.
Genes
Diabetes can run in families and is more prevalent among African Americans, Native Alaskans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Hispanic populations. Even if you have a genetic risk factor for type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes can reduce your chance of developing the disease.
High Blood Pressure Medications
Type 2 diabetes risk is more prevalent among individuals with high blood pressure. Beta blockers and diuretics prescribed to treat high blood pressure can affect glucose metabolism, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to information published in the "New England Journal of Medicine." Prescription medications that treat high blood pressure are necessary and should not be avoided. Awareness and monitoring of blood sugar levels are important for patients with high blood pressure who are taking medications that could increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
