Ok this week will look at the risk facts of both types of diabetes.
Some of the risk factors for type 1 diabetes include:
- Family history: Having a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes increases your risk
- Age: Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children, teens, or young adults, but it can occur at any age
- Genetics: Certain genes can increase your risk of developing type 1 diabetes
- Geography: The number of people with type 1 diabetes increases as you move away from the equator
- Environmental factors: These include the amount of sunlight you get, the food you eat, and cold weather
- Diseases in early life: Diseases like measles, varicella, rhinitis, and eczema can increase your risk
Some of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Weight: Being overweight or obese, especially around the waist
- Activity: Having a low level of physical activity
- Diet: Having unhealthy eating habits
- Family history: Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
- Age: Being 45 or older
- Smoking: Smoking cigarettes
- Blood pressure: Having high blood pressure
- Cholesterol: Having high cholesterol
- Gestational diabetes: Having had gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby who weighed over 9 pounds
- Medication: Taking antipsychotic medication
- Sleep: Having unusual, disturbed, or reduced sleep
Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthily, and being regularly active.