Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes

More than 20 million Americans have Type 2 Diabetes.  More shocking is the fact that nearly one-third of them do not know it! Early detection is key to managing this disorder, and the first step to detection is knowing whether or not you are at risk. In this article we will take a look at a few of the factors to consider when assessing your risk for diabetes.

One of the most important factors to look at is your family history. This is especially true of type II diabetes, which makes up 95% of all cases in North America. It has been shown that having one relative with diabetes will double your chances of developing it, while having 2 relatives with the disorder will quadruple your chances.

Some ethnic groups are known to be more likely to develop diabetes than others. African Americans are twice as likely as caucasians to have type II diabetes, and Hispanic Americans are nearly 3 times as likely. Native Americans have even higher risk at 5 times that of caucasians.

The risk of developing diabetes increases drastically as one ages, with half of people diagnosed with the disorder being over 55 and an alarming 20% of Americans over the age of 65 have type II diabetes. However, the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with diabetes has increased over the years. This is partly due to things such as the increased occurance of childhood obesity.

Both diet and weight are also important factors to consider when assessing your risk, with some researchers claiming that obesity is the single greatest risk factor when it comes to type II diabetes. Being overweight interferes with the body’s ability to effectively use insulin. This resistance to insulin greatly increases the likelyhood of developing diabetes. A diet which is high in fat and cholesterol increases the risks as well.

As we’ve seen, there are many contributing factors which can indicate an increased risk of getting diabetes. While you certainly can’t change factors such as your family history or age, what you can do is be aware of your level of risk so that you can make changes to things such as your diet and you and your doctor can watch for early warning signs of diabetes.