Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
The chances of having diabetes type 2 rely on a combination of risk factors like your lifestyle and genes. Therefore, you cannot make different risk factors such as age, family history, or ethnicity but you can change lifestyle risk factors around physical activity, eating and weight. These lifestyle variations might impact your chances of having diabetes type 2. By taking action on such risk factors you might be able to change and can be helpful for you to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. You are more likely to have diabetes type 2 if you are:
- Have a family background of diabetes
- Are obese or overweight
- Increasing high blood pressure
- Are at the age of 45 years or older
- Are not physically active
- Are Alaska Native Hawaiian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, African American, American Indian, or Hispanic/Latino
- Have depression
- Having a history of stroke or heart disease
- Attaining a low level of HDL (good cholesterol) or increasing level of triglycerides
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome also known as PCOS
- Also having a medical background of gestational diabetes giving birth to a baby that weighs around 9 pounds or more
- Have acanthosis nigricans having velvety, thick and dark skin around your armpits or neck
You can take the Diabetes Risk Test to know about the risk of having type 2 diabetes. To see if your weight puts you at an increasing risk of diabetes type 2, look at your height in Body Mass Index (BMI) charts. If the weight is more than or equal to weight, you have an increasing risk of having type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is more likely to attain a strong inherit link, meaning that it is running in the family. If you have a sister, brother or a parent who has it, then the chances increase. Various genes might be related to diabetes type 2. Ask your healthcare provider regarding diabetes test if you are having any risk factors in the following:
- High blood triglyceride (fat levels), it is quite high if it is above 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
- Sedentary lifestyle
- High blood pressure
- Low HDL (good) cholesterol level. It is quite low if it is lower than 40 mg/dL
- Prediabetes, it means that your blood glucose level is greater than normal but you do not have diabetes yet
- Being obese or overweight
- Heart diseases
- Giving birth to a baby or gestational diabetes weighing above than 9 pounds
- High alcohol intake
- Increasing carbohydrate and fat diet. this might be sometimes be the cause of food insecurity, when you do not have approach to sufficient healthy food
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Therefore, a complete diet and sustainable lifestyle habits having medications, if you require it, can be helpful for you to manage diabetes type 2 the similar way you arrange other areas of life. Make sure to look for the latest information regarding such conditions. (14)