What are the causes of diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes vs type 2 diabetes

Just over one in 10 Americans, or 34.2 million, has diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Of these, 1.6 million have type 1 diabetes, while the rest are type 2. With the different types of diabetes and the large part of the population affected, it is easy to be mistaken about the causes of the disease. diabetes. Is type 1 or type 2 diabetes the one that can occur with age and obesity? To what extent is diabetes caused by genetics?

Insulin is the hormone in your body that helps blood sugar get into your body cells so that it can be used for energy. If there is no insulin, sugar levels can build up in your bloodstream.

Type 1 diabetes is what you get when your body’s pancreas does not make insulin or makes a small amount of it. In the past, type 1 diabetes was previously called juvenile diabetes because it is often diagnosed in children and adolescents. However, it can develop at any age. Type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease and is not preventable. This means that your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults, although an increasing number of children and young adults are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, your cells do not respond to insulin. as they normally should, this is called insulin resistance. This causes the pancreas to produce more insulin. Over time, this causes your blood sugar levels to increase.

What are the causes of type 1 diabetes?

The causes of type 1 diabetes are not always clear. However, there are some potential triggers for its development, including a family history of type 1 diabetes and viral infections.

Type 1 diabetes is not associated with eating or lifestyle habits, says Carrie Swift, certified diabetes care and education specialist, spokesperson for the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and coordinator of the quality at the Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Washington.

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There was a 30% increase in diagnoses of type 1 diabetes in the United States from 2002 to 2015, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers are still exploring the causes of this growth in type 1 diabetes.

Causes of type 2 diabetes: genetics and race / ethnicity

Genetics play a role in type 2 diabetes. If you have a parent with type 2 diabetes, your risk of developing it increases by 30%, says Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian based in Sparta, New Jersey. and author of “2 Day Diabetes Diet”. If both parents have it, your risk increases by 50%.

There is likely a combination of genetic factors and your environment that determines whether you will develop type 2 diabetes, says Dr Deena Adimoolam, a primary care endocrinology and prevention specialist based in Jersey City, New Jersey. . (Adimoolam is also a member of the US News Medical Review Board.) If you have genes linked to type 2 diabetes and are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop it. Exercise and a healthy diet can lower your risk for diabetes, she adds.

The risk of developing diabetes is also increased in some racial and ethnic groups, including:

— American Natives.

– Asian Americans.

— Black.

– Hispanics / Latinos.

– Pacific Islanders.

Causes of type 2 diabetes: poor food choices

The foods you eat can make a difference in the development of diabetes. Foods high in sugar and foods with no nutritional value can increase the risk of diabetes, including:

— Cakes.

— Candies.

– Biscuits.

– Sugary drinks such as sodas, energy drinks and sugary coffee drinks.

Consuming these types of foods repeatedly can raise your insulin levels and possibly lead to loss of insulin sensitivity in your body’s cells, says Dr. Linda Anegawa, a Honolulu-based doctor with Virtual Care Platform. primary and mental health PlushCare. This can increase your blood sugar level and eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

Do your best to focus on consuming more vegetables, whole fruits, and fiber instead, advises Palinksi-Wade.

Causes of type 2 diabetes: lack of physical activity

Too little physical activity can also increase your chances of developing diabetes, according to the CDC. This is because exercise helps control your blood sugar. Plus, physical activity can help you lose weight. Carrying too much weight can contribute to a higher risk of diabetes.

Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, which breaks down into 30 minutes, five times per week. Find a physical activity you enjoy, whether it’s walking, swimming, dancing, or aerobics. You can also find ways to get more movement throughout the day, such as taking short brisk walks after each meal.

Causes of type 2 diabetes: age

Age by itself doesn’t cause type 2 diabetes, but changes that occur with age can increase your risk of developing it, says Palinski-Wade. Age can increase your risk for diabetes, especially after age 50, says Adimoolam. This is due to hormonal changes associated with menopause in women and general changes in the distribution of fat and muscle with age. These changes can lead to an increase in fatty tissue, which increases insulin resistance.

However, keep in mind that type 2 diabetes is on the increase in children and young adults, so you are not immune to diabetes even if you are under 50. In fact, a CDC report found that type 2 diabetes in those under the age of 20 increased 4.8% per year from 2002 to 2012.

Causes of type 2 diabetes: being overweight or obese

If you are overweight or obese, you have a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes. This is because you have high amounts of fatty tissue, which can cause insulin resistance and lead to diabetes. type 2, says Adimoolam.

In particular, excess fat in your belly – also called visceral fat – can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. A tip to keep in mind: a waistline of over 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men can increase your chances of developing diabetes.

If you’re having trouble losing weight, seek help from a primary care doctor. “Too often people look to fad diets or think it’s all about willpower. It isn’t,” says Anegawa. “Your doctor can help you and even determine if medication can help.”

Other causes of diabetes

Beyond the usual genetic, dietary, and weight-related causes of diabetes, there are other possible causes.

These include:

– Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults. Sometimes called type 1½ diabetes, it’s similar to type 1 diabetes because it’s an autoimmune disease, but it’s more likely to occur in adults over 30, says Swift. This often leads to a misdiagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

– Mature diabetes in early childhood, a type of diabetes caused by a genetic mutation.

– Chronic pancreatitis diabetes. Inflammation of the pancreas can damage this organ, resulting in high blood sugar. This could lead to a craving for insulin for the rest of your life, says Swift.

Less common causes of diabetes

Two additional and less common causes of diabetes include:

– Diabetes related to cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is associated with thick, sticky mucus, which can scarring the pancreas. Over time, this could prevent the pancreas from making enough insulin.

– COVID-19[female[feminine. A small percentage of people who have had COVID-19 have developed diabetes. Dr Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, supported the link between COVID-19 and new-onset diabetes in a June 2021 article. A November 2020 study on diabetes, obesity and metabolism has revealed that among those hospitalized for COVID-19, 14.4% developed diabetes. This may be due to virus replication and impaired function of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, Anegawa explains.

It is also possible that these patients had mild insulin resistance prior to contracting COVID-19, and the infection resulted in insulin resistance due to the stress on the body. If these patients were given steroids as part of their treatment, it could have increased insulin resistance and put their blood sugar levels in the range of type 2 diabetes, says Adimoolam. Researchers are still exploring the link between diabetes that develops after infection with COVID-19.

What to do if you think you are at risk for diabetes

To find out if you’re at risk for diabetes, Swift recommends starting with a rapid risk test available on the American Diabetes Association website. If your results show that you have a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, make an appointment with a primary care provider for a more in-depth evaluation. This will likely include some lab work, which can help show your blood sugar levels.

Even if you are at low risk, maintain healthy habits to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Make sure you:

– Eat healthy.

— Do not smoke.

– Maintain a healthy weight.

– Maintain regular health check-ups.

Causes of diabetes:

— Genetic.

– Race / ethnicity.

– Bad food choices.

— Age.

– Being overweight or obese.

– Lack of physical activity.

– Inflammation of the pancreas.

Vanessa Caceres started writing for US News in 2017, originally specializing in diabetes. She is a national health, travel and food writer with an undergraduate degree in journalism and psychology from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, and a graduate degree in linguistics / bilingual education from the University of Georgetown in Washington, DC In addition to US News, Vanessa’s Health Writes has been published with Everyday Health, Self, Newsday HealthLink, EyeWorld, The Rheumatologist, and various other publications. She is a member of Business Networking International (BNI). Vanessa has lived in Florida since 2009, when she became fascinated by the Sunshine State. This fascination led to Florida-themed articles published in regional and national publications and on websites. Connect with her on Twitter at @FloridaCulture.