Are you at risk of diabetes? Factors that increase your chances of getting the disease

Not everyone has the same risk of getting diabetes and for some people the risk is higher than the others due to genetic factors, race, age or even ethnicity. Here are factors that increase your chances of getting the metabolic disease.

Diabetes is no longer the disease of the middle-aged or elderly. The metabolic disease is now becoming common in young and even in children due to the increasingly sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity and more fatty food. All over the world, the number of diabetics is growing which also means people are becoming unhealthier with each passing day and are at risk of developing common diabetes complications like nerve damage, kidney issues, eye damage, foot damage and even heart disease. Keeping your blood sugar levels in control is the best way to tackle the disease apart from medicines which could only help you partly.

Not everyone has the same risk of getting diabetes and for some people the risk is higher than the others due to genetic factors, race, age or even ethnicity. People who are over 45 should be weaving their lifestyle around avoiding the disease, while those with family history of type 2 diabetes remain physical active, eat healthy foods and stay away from junk to ward off risk of this deadly disease. According to studies, Indians have a greater degree of insulin resistance and thus a stronger genetic predisposition to diabetes.

"Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes depend on a combination of risk factors. Although you can’t change risk factors related to family history, age, race, or ethnicity, you may be able to avoid some risk factors by maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active," says Nutritionist Karishma Shah in her recent Instagram post.

Shah also discusses risk factors for type 2 diabetes and adds that acting on these may help delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.

Inactive lifestyle

Inactivity and having excess weight go hand-in-hand with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. A person can decrease insulin resistance by exercising and can lower blood sugar levels.

Unhealthy eating habits

Too much fat in your diet, not enough fibre, and too many simple carbohydrates all contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes

Family history and genetics

People who have family members with type 2 diabetes are at greater risk of developing it themselves

High blood pressure and high cholesterol

Not only do these two factors do damage to blood vessels, but they are also two key components in metabolic syndrome. Having metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

History of gestational diabetes

Women affected by obesity are more insulin resistant when compared to women of normal weight. When pregnant, gestational diabetes generally lasts the length of the pregnancy.

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