Diabetes Risk Factors
There are number of major risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Most of them are preventable although some diabetic risks come from our genetics. Unfortunately, many people are unaware about the risk factors and do not clearly understand the signs of them. The following are the risk factors of type 2 diabetes.
Family history
Having a close family member (either a parent or sibling) with type 2 diabetes can raise your own risk of developing the condition. If you have relatives with diabetes there are chances that you may get it too. Anyone who has a mother, father, sister, or brother with type 2 diabetes should get checked. A simple blood test can diagnose it. Unfortunately, you cannot do much about your genetic history, but you can be ready by being aware of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Obesity
Obesity is the major type 2 diabetes risk, with millions of people throughout the world suffering with obesity. Moreover, the numbers are increasing amongst both adults and children.
Even children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes caused by obesity in most parts of the world. Lack of physical activity, exercise and sedentary way of life among adults and children are the main reason. Living a sedentary lifestyle without sufficient exercise is seriously damaging the health. Being inactive often leads to being overweight, which can lead to pre-diabetes and consequently to type 2 diabetes.
Staying active decreases Hormones resistance and helps the secreted Hormones to be more effective.
Eating a 'Western' diet
Eating unhealthily is another major cause of type 2 diabetes, as over 90 per cent of type 2 diabetics are overweight. A so called Western diet, with a reliance on junk foods or processed foods, poor quality fats and little fibre content, is considered to be a major contributor towards diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
A balanced diet along with exercise can prevent or reverse the development of type 2 diabetes.
High blood pressure or Hypertension and High Cholesterol or Hyperlipidemia
High cholesterol and blood pressure levels are risks for many diseases, one of which is type 2 diabetes. Both are also major symptoms of pre-diabetes.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is also a major risk, and affects about 2 to 5 per cent of women who fall pregnant.
Those women who suffer from it face greater later-life risks of developing type 2 diabetes, as do their children.
Aging :
align="justify"As the population of the world ages, diabetes rates are increasing.
Unfortunately, the older we get, the greater the risk of developing type 2 diabetes sets in. According to some scientists, as we age, the pancreas begins to produce Hormones less effectively.
Moreover, bodily resistance to Hormones increases with age.
Diseases of the pancreas:
They can slow its ability to make Hormones.
Infection or illness :
Some infections and illnesses, mostly rare ones, can damage your pancreas.