The risk factors for developing diabetes:
The different types of diabetes have different risk factors.
Type I diabetes:
Risks for this type of diabetes include inborn factors, such as genes that predispose to
diabetes. Interestingly, although type I diabetes has a strong hereditary predisposition,
when one identical twin develops it, the other only runs a 50% chance of developing it
too. This implies that environmental factors may play an important role. Researchers
around the world have focused attention on possible viruses (e.g. German measles during
pregnancy, mumps and coxsackie B) or dietary factors (perhaps cow's milk or smoked fish)
that trigger the genes and induce the disease.
Current research is focused on defining more precisely the nature of these and other
environmental agents and how they interact with specific genes to produce the illness.
Type II diabetes:
Researchers have found that genetic predispositions to type II diabetes are even more
important than in type I. Scientists are actively uncovering multiple new genes that
predispose a patient to type II diabetes.
Obesity is the most important environmental factor in patients that are genetically
predisposed. African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are at substantially higher
risk, and the risk of developing type II diabetes increases with age. About a fifth of all
Americans between 65 and 74 years of age have diabetes.
The different types of diabetes have different risk factors.
Type I diabetes:
Risks for this type of diabetes include inborn factors, such as genes that predispose to
diabetes. Interestingly, although type I diabetes has a strong hereditary predisposition,
when one identical twin develops it, the other only runs a 50% chance of developing it
too. This implies that environmental factors may play an important role. Researchers
around the world have focused attention on possible viruses (e.g. German measles during
pregnancy, mumps and coxsackie B) or dietary factors (perhaps cow's milk or smoked fish)
that trigger the genes and induce the disease.
Current research is focused on defining more precisely the nature of these and other
environmental agents and how they interact with specific genes to produce the illness.
Type II diabetes:
Researchers have found that genetic predispositions to type II diabetes are even more
important than in type I. Scientists are actively uncovering multiple new genes that
predispose a patient to type II diabetes.
Obesity is the most important environmental factor in patients that are genetically
predisposed. African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are at substantially higher
risk, and the risk of developing type II diabetes increases with age. About a fifth of all
Americans between 65 and 74 years of age have diabetes.
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Diabetes Mellitus
