Since diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, there are several factors that can put people at an increased risk for developing the disease. These factors are widespread but resemble the influencing factors for many other common diseases in the United States. Diabetes is certainly not a disease to take lightly, so if you or a loved one has one or more of these risk factors, it is a good idea to visit a healthcare provider to determine your chance for developing the disease.

Risk Factors

As with most diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure, people with a family history of diabetes are more likely to develop the disease than people without a family history. Although scientists have not isolated the specific factors that link the disease through heredity, genes may play a large part in influencing the development of the disease. People whose immediate relatives have had diabetes will be much more prone to developing the disease. Also, while type one diabetes can strike anyone at any age (although it usually develops in children and teenagers first), type two diabetes generally affects the older population. People in their middle-age years and up are much more likely to develop diabetes if they are also not taking proper care of themselves.

Lifestyle, therefore, is one of the biggest factors that influences whether a person may develop type two diabetes. Someone who is overweight has a much greater chance of developing the disease than someone of a similar age who is at a healthy weight. This goes hand-in-hand with practicing a good diet and exercise routine. Exercise helps to get the blood flowing and stimulate the heart, which burns calories and helps to work off excess glucose in the blood. A healthy diet can also help to control the amount of glucose in the blood. Both are part of a healthy lifestyle that can help to decrease your chances of developing diabetes later in life. Often times, people with mediocre diets may develop the disease because they lead a largely sedentary lifestyle.

Changing to a healthy lifestyle as well as visiting the doctor for a thorough risk analysis and evaluation can help to determine if your chances of developing the disease are risky or not.

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