Risk factors of diabetesThe causes of diabetes are complex and only partly understood. This disease is generally considered multi-factorial, involving several predisposing conditions and risk factors.
Genetics and family history:
Certain genes are known to cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young.
Family medical history is also influential to varying degrees:
According to the American Diabetes Association, and someone whose parents both have type 2diabetes has a 50% chance of developing that disease.
Weight and body type:
Overweight and obesity are leading factors in type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Excess fat, especially around the abdomen (central obesity), promotes insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
Level of physical activity:
Lack of regular exercise is blamed for much of the twin global epidemics of obesity and diabetes.
Diet:
The effect of diet in the development of diabetes is controversial. Some studies have linked heavy consumption of soft drinks and other simple carbohydrates to risk of metabolic diabetes.
Hormones:
These chemical messengers can contribute to diabetes in various ways. For example, stress hormones such as cortisol have been linked to fluctuating glucose levels in type 2 diabetes, and stress hormones in women during pregnancy have been linked to risk of type 1 diabetes in the child. The release of growth and sex hormones during adolescence may make some teens more susceptible to diabetes.
Medical treatments:
In addition to hormonal therapies, medications including diuretics, beta blockers (another class of antihypertensives), immunosuppressives, antire-trovirals (AIDS/HIV drugs) antipsychotics, lithium, and some antidepressants, anticonvulsants and chemo-therapy drugs have been linked to an increased risk of secondary diabetes.
Drugs including pentamidine (used to treat pneumonia) and L–aspara-ginase (used to treat leukemia) have been linked to type 1 diabetes.
Other chemicals:
In addition to these pharmaceuticals, some studies have linked PCBs, other pollutants and certain pesticides including the defoliant Agent Orange and dioxin (its active ingredient) to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. A rat poi-son called pyriminal has been linked to type 1 diabetes.
Other environmental factors:
Some researchers theo-rize that free radicals may contribute to the development of type 1 and possibly other forms of diabetes. When these radicals build up, they can destroy cells, including those involved in the production of insulin. Cold weather is another possible environmental factor in type 1 diabetes.
Viruses:
Some people are diagnosed with type 1 dia-betes after a viral infection. Viruses thought to be related to type 1 diabetes include mumps, rubella and coxsackie virus.
Smoking:
Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and possibly other forms of diabetes.
Alcohol:
Excessive use of alcohol is a risk factor for diabetes. For example, it can cause pancreatitis.
(Scientific Research and Essay Vol. 4 (5) pp. 367-373, May, 2009
Available online at
http://www.academicjournals.org/SRE)
