Diabetes is a serious, life-long disease. It cannot be cured, but careful control of blood sugar can prevent or delay the complications of this disease. A great deal of research is underway to find out exactly what causes diabetesand how to prevent it.
Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetesis an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's system for fighting infection -- the immune system -- turns against a part of the body.
At present, scientists do not know exactly what causes the body's immune system to attack the cells, but they believe that both genetic factors and environmental factors, such as viruses, are involved. Studies have begun to try to identify these factors and prevent type 1 diabetesin people at risk.
Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes -- the most common form -- is linked to obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Being overweight can keep your body from using insulin properly.
Being over 45 years of age and overweight or obese raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors include:
- having a first-degree relative -- a parent, brother, or sister -- with diabetes
- being African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American or pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.
Other risk factors include:
- having gestational diabetes, or giving birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds
- having blood pressure of 140/90 or higher, or having been told that you have high blood pressure.
- having abnormal cholesterol levels -- an HDL cholesterol level of 35 or lower, or a triglyceride level of 250 or higher
- being inactive or exercising fewer than three times a week.
- having polycystic ovary syndrome, also called pCOS (women only)
- on previous testing, having impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG)
- history of cardiovascular disease.
Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they usually have pre-diabetes -- a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.
people with pre-diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes within 10 years and also are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. pre-diabetes is common in America, according to new estimates. In 2002, about 54 million people in the U.S. had pre-diabetes.
Some women develop gestational diabetes during the late stages of pregnancy. Although this form of diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, a woman who has had it and her child are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. Gestational diabetes is caused by the hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin.
Preventing Diabetes
Currently, there is no way to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in people who are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, a condition called pre-diabetes. pre-diabetes means blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. people with pre-diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes within 10 years and are also more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
A recent study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, called the Diabetes prevention program, showed that people with pre-diabetes can cut their risk for developing type 2 diabetes in half by losing a modest amount of weight and being more physically active. This means losing 5 to 7 percent of body weight (that's 10 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds) and getting 150 minutes of physical activity a week.
That same study showed that modest weight loss (achieved by following a low calorie, low-fat diet) and moderate physical activity were especially effective in preventing or delaying the development of diabetes in older people. In fact, people over the age of 60 were able to reduce their risk for developing type 2 diabetes by 71 percent.
Making modest lifestyle changes can often prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in people who are at risk. Here are some tips that may help.
- Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight. Your weight affects your health
in many ways. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin
properly. It can also cause high blood pressure. Recent studies have shown
that losing even a modest amount of weight can help reduce your risk of developing
type 2 diabetes.
- In the Diabetes prevention program, people who lost 5 to 7 percent
of their body weight significantly reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes.
So if you weigh 200 pounds, losing only 10 pounds can make a difference.
- Make healthy food choices. What you eat has a big impact on your health.
By making healthy food choices, you can help control your body weight, blood
pressure, and cholesterol.
- Be physically active every day. Regular exercise tackles several risk factors at once. It helps you lose weight, control your cholesterol and blood pressure, and improve your body's use of insulin. people in the Diabetes prevention program study who were physically active 30 minutes a day 5 days a week reduced their weight and risk of type 2 diabetes. Many chose walking for exercise.
Researchers are working hard to uncover the genetic and environmental factors that may put people at risk for obesity, pre-diabetes, and diabetes. As they learn more about the changes in the body that lead to diabetes, researchers may develop ways to prevent and cure the different stages of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
NIH SeniorHealth
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Last updated: March 2008
