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Factors that increase a person's risk of Type 2
diabetes but cannot be changed include:
Age and diabetes
The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with age, and
it is most common in people over the age of 40.
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Personal history of diabetes or high blood sugar
People who have had problems with high blood sugar
in the past may be at higher risk of developing diabetes. Women who
have had diabetes during pregnancy (called gestational diabetes) are
also at higher risk of developing diabetes later in life.
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Family history and diabetes
A person with a close relative who had diabetes has
a higher risk of developing the disease. This increased risk is
probably due to a combination of shared genes and shared lifestyle
factors.
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Race and ethnicity
Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans,
Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, compared to
whites.
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Most risk factors for diabetes can be modified to reduce risk,
either through lifestyle changes or through medication, if needed.
These include:
Weight, waist size and diabetes
The risk of Type 2 diabetes goes up as body weight increases. This
is especially true for people who carry extra body fat around the
waist (called "apple shaped"). Extra weight affects the
body's sensitivity to insulin and it also puts extra strain on the
whole body, increasing the risk of heart disease,
stroke,
high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Maintaining a healthy
weight has been proven to decrease the risk of cancer of the
colon,
kidney,
breast and
uterus.
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Tobacco smoke and diabetes
Smoking increases the risk of diabetes. Smoking
can increase blood sugar levels and decrease the body's ability
to use insulin. It can also change the way the body stores
excess fat - increasing fat around the waist, which is linked to
diabetes. The damage that tobacco chemicals do to blood vessels,
muscles and organs may also increase the risk of diabetes.
Tobacco exposure also increases your risk of
heart disease,
stroke,
peripheral vascular disease, emphysema, bronchitis,
osteoporosis,
and cancers of the
lung,
bladder,
kidney,
pancreas,
cervix,
lip, mouth, tongue, larynx, throat and esophagus. For many
people, quitting smoking is the single best thing they can do to
improve their health.
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Physical activity and diabetes
Exercise is one of the best ways to help maintain a
healthy weight, a key factor in lowering the risk of diabetes.
Exercise also helps the body's cells use insulin effectively, which
makes it easier to control blood sugar levels. In addition,
exercise also helps prevent other diseases such as
heart disease,
stroke,
osteoporosis,
and
colon cancer.
Even just 30 minutes of moderate exercise (like walking) daily can
decrease your risk of disease.
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Diet and diabetes
Diet can be a powerful tool for lowering the
risk of diabetes. The best approach? Eat a diet that focuses on
whole grains, cereal fiber, and liquid vegetable oils and limits
refined starches (like potatoes and white bread).
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Alcohol and diabetes
Moderate alcohol (about one drink a day
for women and two for men) has been shown to decrease the risk
of
diabetes compared to non-drinkers. Limited use of alcohol
may also decrease the risk of developing
heart
disease.
However, it is not recommended that non-drinkers start drinking.
Alcohol use has many of its own risks like increasing blood
pressure, body weight, heart failure, addiction, suicide
and accidents. People
who limit their use of alcohol also have a lower risk of
colon
cancer, and
breast
cancer.
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