The Risk Factors of Diabetes

Diabetes is caused by the body’s failure to break down glucose for use in the body, either since there is no insulin to do this (Type I) or because the insulin does not perform as it ought to (Type II). But what are the risk factors of diabetes? Are some people more at risk than others of developing the disease? As with countless diseases, there are sure factors which have been found to make some people more possible to develop diabetes than others. One such reason is if any of your close family has developed diabetes. Close family is usually classed as your parents or siblings, but if you have a line of relatives, such as your grandparents and their parents, who have had diabetes, it may be important testing yourself to see if you have the disease too. Type II diabetes regularly develops in those[white people] when they are over 40, and it is important to test yourself if you fall into both these categories just to make sure that you do not have the disease, particularly as the symptoms of Type II diabetes can develop slowly and may not be that obvious. Similarly, if you are 25 and are Asian, Black or from an ethnic minority group, you ought to think about testing yourself as Type II diabetes has been found to start developing at this age. If you are obese you are at risk of developing diabetes. As well as taking into consideration losing weight, you must test yourself for diabetes if you are a woman and have a waist measuring over 31 inches, if you are Black or White man and have a waist measuring 37 inches or more, or if you are an Asian man and have a waist measuring 35 inches or over. People who have high blood pressure and a record of heart problems or heart attacks should also be tested for diabetes, as should those who have experienced a stroke. Ladies who have poly-cystic ovary syndrome have a larger risk of developing diabetes, mainly if they are obese too. Also at risk are women who have developed gestational diabetes. Finally, those who have severe mental health problems are also at risk of developing diabetes, and if likely shout be tested for the disease.