Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder. The person suffering from this disorder has abnormal elevation in the level of blood glucose. The disease occurs in two forms, diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus is also called type1diabetes. There is complete absence of insulin secretion in this form. It generally occurs during childhood and in young individuals.
Diabetes mellitus which is also called type 2 diabetes is more serious of the two. Type 2 diabetes develops either due to insulin resistance or less production of insulin from the pancreas. If left untreated type 2 diabetes may lead to many health complications in the form of cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, renal failure and neuropathy.
The epidemic of type 2 diabetes has imposed an enormous burden on healthcare, worldwide. Considering the impact of type 2 diabetes on health, it is important to know the cause for controlling diabetes.
What Are The Causes Of Type 2 Diabetes?
In medical parlance type 2 diabetes is now know as non insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). Almost 90% patients of diabetes are those suffering from type 2 diabetes. The development of this condition is complex and varied. It evolves slowly in several years. The three distinct factors that are responsible for its evolution and progression are:
- Inefficient utilization of glucose by peripheral tissues of the body (insulin resistance).
- An inability of the pancreas to produce insulin (insulin deficiency).
- An abnormal production of glucose by the liver.
The causes of type 2 diabetes are still remains obscure. Medical fraternity is not able to know why some people have tendency to develop diabetes. However, certain predisposing triggers are now known to produce elevated level of blood sugar.
Risk Factors For Developing Diabetes Mellitus
Genetic factors: Hereditary is major factor contributing to type 2 diabetes. However, the exact mapping of its occurrence is not established. Statistical data suggests that a person is at greater risk of development of type 2 diabetes if someone close in his family is suffering from this disorder.
Children are likely to develop diabetes if both or either parents are diabetic. Diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in the child during the adulthood. Of late fatty acid binding protein gene has been linked to insulin resistance.
Environmental factors also play a role in unmasking of type 2 diabetes.
- Obesity: Obesity is considered to be the primary trigger for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Approximately 80% of type 2 diabetics are overweight. Excess fat in the body prevents insulin to work properly. Many people with diabetes who are overweight can often control blood sugar by losing weight. Even small amount of weight loss can have beneficial effects, reducing blood sugar levels and allowing medicines to work better.
- Diet: Diet largely composed of easily digestible, rapidly absorbable refined carbohydrates exerts greater strain on pancreatic beta cells. Further diet rich in fat particularly of saturated fat promotes insulin resistance and impairs beta cell function. Lack of dietary fiber, inadequate consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, rich source of anti-oxidants are being suspected as additional dietary risk factors.
- Stress: Physical or emotional stress which can be due to surgery, an accident or some serious infection or an emotional shock. Stress can many times lead to an irregular and unhealthy lifestyle and this may precipitate a trigger for diabetes mellitus. Grief, worry and anxiety which result from many incidences in life have serious influence on the metabolic activity which may result in pancreatic insufficiency.
- Drugs: certain drugs are known to trigger elevation of blood sugar level. Long term use of corticosteroids is known for development of type 2 diabetes. Other drugs that may impair glucose tolerance are thiazides, beta blockers, phenytoin etc.
- Endocrine disorders: In some genetic and metabolic disorders pancreas may produce inadequate quantity of insulin which may also reduce tissue insulin sensitivity.