Diabetes – How High Is Your Risk?

If you are like me you have family members who have lost their limbs to a disease known as diabetes. And, having seen the horrors of this disease, I am constantly aware how at risk I am for this disease. If you are concerned about your history with this disease, or what your risk factor for this disease is please read further as I elaborate on diabetes risk factors and which factors are under your control and which are not.

There are certain diabetes risk factors that are completely under your control. Factors such as your weight, your diet, your activity level all are things that you have complete control over and these factors are extremely important when it comes to type 2 diabetes.

Statistics have found that people who are overweight or obese are more likely to contract this disease than someone who is within a healthy weight range. Also, a diet that full of starchy foods, which convert to sugar rapidly once consumed, will also increase your risk for this disease. And, since exercise tends to regulate blood sugar levels and increase the output of insulin, a lifestyle that contains regular exercise will help you stay clear of this disease. These are all factors that you have control over.

Unfortunately there are a variety of diabetes risk factors that you have zero control over and even if you maintain your weight, eat a sensible diet, and exercise regularly you can still be diagnosed with this disease. These factors include family history, ethnicity, age, and a history of gestational diabetes. Let’s break them down and understand what each means. If you have a parent who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, even though they are lean and live a healthy lifestyle, your risk is 3 times that of the general population of being diagnosed with diabetes.

If both parents are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes then you have a 50% chance of contracting this disease. However, if the family member who has the disease has lead an unhealthy lifestyle then chances are that if you take control over the factors listed above your chances of being diagnosed with this disease are slim. Ethnicity is also a factor in this disease.

If you are Alaska Native, American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islander your risk is greater but the medical community doesn’t understand quite why this is. There is some genetic gene that is shared among these groups of people but the gene hasn’t been pinpointed.

If you 45 years of age or older you should be regularly checked for diabetes since age plays a large role in this disease. It could be that as we age we aren’t as active as we were in our younger years which will increase our weight.

Finally, if you have gestational diabetes or give birth to a child that weighs 9 pounds or larger, your risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes increases by 25%. This is a huge number and makes it essential that you live a healthy lifestyle in order to beat these odds.