Diabetes risk factors.
Certain factors increase your risk for diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
You’re more likely to get type 1 diabetes if you’re a child or teenager, you have a parent or sibling with the condition, or you carry certain genes that are linked to the disease.
Type 2 diabetes
Your risk for type 2 diabetes increases if you:
Are overweight
Are age 45 or older
Have a parent or sibling with the condition
Aren’t physically active
Have had gestational diabetes
Have prediabetes
Have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides
Have African American, Hispanic or Latino American, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Asian American ancestry
Gestational diabetes
Your risk for gestational diabetes increases if you:
Are overweight
Are over age 25
Had gestational diabetes during a past pregnancy
Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
Have a family history of type 2 diabetes
Have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
The bottom line
Your family, environment, and pre-existing medical conditions can all affect your odds of developing diabetes. Find out which risks you can control and which ones you can’t.
Diabetes complications
High blood sugar damages organs and tissues throughout your body. The higher your blood sugar is and the longer you live with it, the greater your risk for complications.
Complications associated with diabetes include:
Heart disease, heart attack, and stroke
Neuropathy
Nephropathy
Retinopathy and vision loss
Hearing loss
Foot damage such as infections and sores that don’t heal
Skin conditions such as bacterial and fungal infections
Depression
Dementia
Gestational diabetes
Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to problems that affect both the mother and baby. Complications affecting the baby can include:
Premature birth
Higher-than-normal weight at birth
Increased risk for type 2 diabetes later in life
Low blood sugar
Laundice
Stillbirth
The mother can develop complications such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia) or type 2 diabetes. She may also require caesarean delivery, commonly referred to as a C-section.
The mother’s risk of gestational diabetes in future pregnancies also increases.
The bottom line
Diabetes can lead to serious medical complications, but you can manage the condition with medications and lifestyle changes. Avoid the most common diabetes complications with these helpful tips.
Compiled by Dr Rone.
Add a Comment