Causes of Diabetes : Factors that Develop Diabetes

Heredity as a cause of diabetes

Heredity is a major factor in the occurrence of diabetes. Research has shown that people with a family history of diabetes have Thirty-three percent more risk of developing diabetes. How does diabetes develop? Children are most likely to develop diabetes if either or both the parents are diabetic, if the expectant mother turned a diabetic or if the mother was a diabetic before conception.

However, diabetic parents can have non-diabetic children as well; and in identical twins one may have diabetes and the other maybe non-diabetic. But it is essential that the sugar level of an expectant mother be in the normal range because it can be passed on to the child.

Type-2 diabetes especially runs in the family because of the diabetes gene. But remember, diabetes in children need not be caused by heredity always.

Diet: Systematic overeating of sugar, refined carbohydrates and even proteins and fats that are converted into sugar may cause diabetes. Too much food burdens the pancreas and production of insulin is hindered. Diabetes is uncommon among poor people who cannot afford to overeat. The consumption of processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates like chocolates, cakes, bread and biscuits is directly linked to the occurrence of diabetes.

Great care should be taken to develop correct dietary habits among children.

Addiction to harmful foods should be prevented. The amount of food given to children should aide their growth but not obesity. Encourage games, sports and exercise among children. A proportionate body with ideal body weight keeps diabetes away.

• Obesity may also be a reason for diabetes Obesity is one of the main causes of diabetes. About eighty percent of type-2 non-insulin dependent diabetics are overweight. Obesity causes complications in diabetes and the death rate is high.
• Excess fat prevents insulin from working properly. The muscle and tissue cells become resistant to insulin in presence of more fatty tissue. Incidence of diabetes is four times higher in person of moderate obesity and three times higher in persons of severe obesity.
• In old-age people tend to gain weight and at the same time may develop mild form of diabetes. Many people have to simply lose weight to gain control over diabetes and bring blood sugar level back to normal. Even small weight loss can produce beneficial effects. However diabetes can return with sudden gain in weight. It is therefore important that old people maintain ideal weight.
• Virus Infections : Pancreatic infections can damage beta cells and develop auto-antibodies. As a result type-1 insulin-dependent diabetes develops. Viral antibody test and islet cell antibody test helps diagnosing. The auto-immunity screening of anti-bodies helps determine diabetes in a family.

Diabetes due to faulty Lifestyle

• Lack of exercise and physical work plays an important role in the development of diabetes. Sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing diabetes. A reduction in muscle mass due to physical inactivity or age reduces the storage space for blood sugar and it accumulates in the blood stream. Physical activity and exercise uses a lot of glucose as energy, makes cells more sensitive to insulin and controls weight. And so the pancreas is not burdened.

Smoking increases the chances of diabetes

• Smoking is an important risk factor. It reduces absorption of insulin and limits joint motion. Smoking in diabetes increases the risk of premature death. The number of cigarettes smoked in a day and the total number of years he has been smoking worsens things further. In men who smoke the risk of developing diabetes is doubled.

Age and Diabetes

• People above forty-five years of age have greater risk of developing type-2 diabetes. As people grow old they become less active, gain weight and lose muscle mass. These factors promote onset of the disease. Due to increase in sedentary lifestyle even people in their thirty’s and forty’s are inflicted with diabetes. Doing a diabetes test after 40 will help.

Stress and Tension as a cause of diabetes

• Stress can be either physically or emotionally oriented. A serious infection, accident, surgery and high stress lifestyle are factors that promote stress and tension. Diabetes mellitus and stress are strongly related. So necessary changes should be made in lifestyle and all precautions should be taken to prevent stress and tension.
• Stress can cause pancreatic insufficiency and lead to diabetes. Strained relationships, failure in business, loss of a job, death of a close friend or relative, and exam fear can cause anxiety, worry and sorrow. All these have a terrible influence on the system and helps sugar appear in the urine.
• Organic Disorders : Cerebral diseases, cancer and tuberculosis are some serious organic disorders associated with diabetes. Genetic and metabolic disorders, insufficient secretion of insulin, certain drugs, excessive consumption of alcohol and malfunctioning of other endocrine glands like thyroid, adrenal and pituitary are variety of other factors that cause diabetes.

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