Diabetes risk factors

Everyone over 45 should have their blood glucose checked at least every 2 years. And be performed more often if have high diabetes risk factors.

Diabetes risk factors explained

Certain factor that increases the chances of developing diabetes is called as diabetes risk factors.  Here after we explore, why and how those risk factors increase the chances of having diabetes.

Genetic or Hereditary
If mother has diabetes then risk factor of getting diabetes is slightly high, but if father has diabetes then the risk factor is more. If both mother and father have diabetes, then the risk factor of having diabetes are comparatively much more.

No or low physical activity
If there is no or low physical activity then sugar or glucose that is consumed cannot be burnt fully, thus rises blood glucose-level and increases the glucogen storage. It forces to secrete more insulin to balance the excess glucose-level. But in due coarse pancreas is not able to secrete this increasing requirements causing diabetes.

Improper food habits
Consuming foods high in glucose (carbohydrate) or fat than required can lead to high level of blood glucose. That is the available glucose is higher than the actual requirements, so insulin secretion is increased more than normal to normalize blood glucose-level. In due coarse pancreas is not able to secrete this increasing requirements leads to diabetes.

Obesity (excess body weight and or waist size)
Obesity/over weight or large waist size means there is excess storage of fat. Mostly this storage take time that is because of continuous excess consumption of sugar or/and fat than required for long time. Also many studies proved that excess fat storage may be the contributing risk factor for insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes).

Age greater than 45 years
Each and every organ start losing it ability after 40 to 45 years, it also includes pancreas. So insulin secretion cannot be maintained as per requirement after 45 years just due to aging risk factor.

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy
Risk factor of having diabetes is high for both mother and the child involved in gestational diabetes. It is due to both gene factor and also inability of the body already shown as gestational diabetes.

Previously diagnosed as pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes means high blood glucose level higher than normal but not high enough to diagnose as diabetes. Pre-diabetes can be reversible by following diabetes lifestyle changes, if not end up with diabetes.

Ethnic
Certain country, region, community, hereditary, food habits, climate and lifestyle have some increased risk factor towards diabetes.