Factors that may increase your risk of diabetes

Factors that may increase your risk of diabetes

There are three main types of this disease, known as type 1 and type 2, and the third is called gestational diabetes. Regardless of the type, diabetes prevents your body from making or using insulin.

According to statistics, around 25% of people don't even know that they have diabetes. In the United States, 7 million citizens give or take that. So this is a global health problem. Are you one of them? Below is a description that will help you find out if you are at high risk for this disease.

Type 1

Usually this type starts when you are a child. What happens is that your pancreas stops producing insulin. As a result, you have this disease for life. Below are the things that can cause type 1 diabetes:

Illness or infection:Some diseases and infections can damage your pancreas. Most of the time they are rare.

Pancreatic diseases:These diseases can slow insulin production.

Family history:People with a family history of diabetes are more likely to have diabetes. For example, it can be your sister, your father, your mother or your brother. A simple blood test is done to diagnose this.

Type 2

With type 2 diabetes, your body loses its ability to use insulin. This problem is known as insulin resistance. Usually adults have this disease, but it can start at any age. Possible causes include obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, ethnic background, physical inactivity and gestational diabetes, to name a few.

pregnancy

According to statistics, around 4% of expecting mothers can be affected by diabetes. You might get it if your insulin levels are too low. In some cases, it is caused by the hormones produced by your placenta. For example, if the mother has high blood sugar, the baby may also have high blood sugar, which can lead to many problems related to growth and development, especially if treatment is not provided. Below are some things that can cause gestational diabetes:

• Ethnic background: Black women are at higher risk for this disease

• Age: Older people are also more likely to develop gestational diabetes.

• Family history: You are at higher risk of this disease if your mother or father has it.

• Obesity: We all know that obesity is a leading cause of many health problems. If you are obese, the extra pounds may cause you to develop gestational diabetes.

Steps you can take to prevent this disease

No matter your risk factors, there are many steps you can take to prevent or delay the symptoms of diabetes. Some of them are given below.

• Always eat a balanced diet

• Get at least half an hour of exercise every day

• By exercising regularly, you can bring your weight closer to the healthy range

• Control your blood pressure

So this was a description of three types of diabetes and steps you can take to prevent each type of diabetes. Hope this helps.

Inspired by Shalini M