Because it tends to run in families, the major risk factor for type 1 diabetes appears to be genetics. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increase progressively as body fat increases, especially around the midsection. Compared to a normal-weight person, an obese person can have 40 times the risk of type 2 diabetes. Most, but not all, people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are obese when the diagnosis is made.



In new years, scientists have recognized a clump of danger factors dubbed Syndrome X. Like diabetes, Syndrome X involves impaired uptake of glucose by cells, but it too includes higher blood force and higher blood levels of insulin, fat, and cholesterol. Combined, these factors increase the danger of character 2 diabetes and eye disease by several fold. As many as 30 percent of grownup males and 15 percent of postmenopausal women have Syndrome X.

Contrary to popular though, high sugar or high carbohydrate intake does not by itself cause diabetes. In fact, current dietary recommendations for individuals with diabetes emphasize diets rich in complex carbohydrate (including fiber) and low in fat. Although in the past, dietary treatment of diabetes eliminated simple sugars from the diet, current recommendations allow individuals with diabetes include moderate amounts of simple sugars in their diet as long as sugar intake dose not contribute to excess energy intake and obesity.

The best prevention for both type 2 diabetes due to obesity and Syndrome X is healthful diet and regular exercise. Reducing excess body fat will improve glucose tolerance and reduce related risk factors for heart disease. Regular exercise will improve carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and increase insulin sensitivity. In addition, exercise improves blood flow to the extremities, bringing blood pressure down to normal levels and reducing risk of heart disease.

Who is at greater risk for type 1 diabetes?

People with high blood pressure

People with a family history of diabetes

People who are overweight

People who do not exercise regularly

People with low HDL or high tri-glyceride levels in blood

Certain racial and ethnic groups (e.g., African American, Hispanic Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans)

Woman who have had gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that occurs in about 4 percent or pregnancies, or who have had a baby who weighed 8 pounds or more at birth.