Causes and Risk Factors of Diabetes

Even though not every type 2 diabetic is overweight, leading an inactive & unhealthy lifestyle and being obese are two of the most common causes of type 2 diabetes. Studies show that these two reasons cause 90 to 95% of all diabetes cases in the United States.

How Do These Cause Type 2 Diabetes?

Every time a healthy person consumes food, their pancreas (an organ behind your stomach) releases insulin that helps the body convert the sugar from the food into energy. In the case of a person with diabetes:

The pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin

The pancreas produces very little insulin

Your body stops responding to insulin the way it should

Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes suffer from insulin resistance, where their bodies produce insulin, just not enough or it stops recognizing the insulin and doesn’t use it properly.

What Kind of Health Conditions Put You at Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes?

It is believed that type 2 diabetes tends to run in families and has a strong genetic link. If any blood relative of yours; parent, brother, or sister, develops diabetes, there are chances that you might too.

It is also a good idea to consult your doctor for a diabetes test if you have any of the following risk factors:

High blood pressure

High blood triglyceride (fat) levels (over 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)

Low “good” cholesterol level (less than 40 mg/dL)

Giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or suffering from gestational diabetes

Prediabetes, meaning your blood sugar levels are above normal, but you aren’t seeing any other symptoms yet

Heart disease

High-fat and carbohydrate diet where you don’t eat enough healthy foods

High alcohol intake

Obesity or being overweight

You’re over 45 years of age. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases significantly around the age of 45

You’ve had an organ transplant. The anti-rejection medication prescribed to organ transplant patients put them in the high-risk category of developing type 2 diabetes

How Can You Fight Diabetes?

There is no scientific way of fighting diabetes. But maintaining healthy lifestyle habits along with a proper diet with medication can help manage type 2 diabetes so it doesn’t stop you from living a balanced and normal life.