Risk of Diabetes

Three major type of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes, all three diabetes types have same basic characteristic that is the body's inability to either make or use insulin. Your body requires insulin, a hormone, to use glucose that comes from the food which you eat for energy. Without proper insulin, glucose remains in the blood, and makes high levels of blood sugar. This can harm your heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves and other organs. Go through this article to know the risk of diabetes and take preventive measures accordingly.

Risk of Diabetes

Risk of Diabetes

Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes can start in childhood. The pancreas stops making insulin which is the hormone that your body needs to use the energy glucose. The primary risk for type 1 diabetes can be the family history of this chronic disease.

  • Pancreas Diseases: Injury of the pancreas can inhibit the inability to make insulin and lead to type 1 diabetes.
  • Genetics or Family History: Family members with diabetes can be a major risk factor. It is advised that the person who has a family history of type 1 diabetes must get screened for diabetes. A blood test can diagnose type 1 diabetes.
  • Illness or Infection: A range of relatively rare infections and illnesses can damage the pancreas and cause type 1 diabetes.

Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes: This type of diabetes happens when body fails to use insulin produced, a condition called insulin resistance type 2 diabetes can begin anytime in life. Type 2 diabetes is increasingly found in teenagers.

  • Obesity: Diabetes and obesity are related with each other. As per the research made, the single best predictor of type 2 diabetes is being overweight or obese.
  • (Give a Suitable Subhead) : Diabetes and obesity are both epidemic in the U.S. To measure obesity, BMI can be a good option, which is a ratio, and can be determined by using standard tables of height and weight. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 can be considered as overweight. A BMI of 30 defines obesity.
  • Insulin Resistance: This type usually begins with cells that are resistant to insulin which are unable to take in insulin as it moves glucose from the blood into cells. With insulin resistance, the pancreas work overly hard to make enough insulin, so cells can get the energy they require. This involves a complex process leading to type 2 diabetes.
  • High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is one of the risk factors for diabetes. It is defined as 140/90 mm Hg or higher. Low levels of HDL and high triglyceride levels can put you at risk.
  • History of Gestational Diabetes: If you have diabetes when you are pregnant, then it is called gestational diabetes. This can put you at higher risk of having type 2 diabetes in future.

The symptoms of diabetes can be mild or even nonexistent, but are something you must look for, especially if you have risk factors for the disease. Patients, who get extreme thirst or hunger, need to urinate often, feel fatigue, unusual weight loss, numbness in hands/feet, blurred vision; frequent infections and bruises which get healed slowly are likely to have diabetes. If you have any of these symptoms, a blood test is a must.

Steps to Lower the Risk of Diabetes

To lessen your chances of getting diabetes exercising regularly, burning fat, minimizing calorie intake, and losing some weight can reduce your risk of having type 2 diabetes. Lowering cholesterol level and blood pressure can help you stay healthy. Bringing change in your lifestyle can be hard, especially if you are faced with more than one change. But by modifying your lifestyle, you are definitely extending your life and preventing occurrence of diabetes. You can make these changes easily by taking the following steps:

  • Exactly decide of what and when you will do
  • Prepare a plan to change behavior
  • Look for family and friends who can support and encourage you
  • Plan things that you need to get ready
  • Think on things that can stop you from reaching your goals
  • Determine the way you want to reward yourself when you do what you have planned.

Your dietitian, doctor or a counselor can help you make a plan. Try to consider bringing changes to lower your risk of diabetes.