What Causes Diabetes?
Like many lifelong illnesses, diabetes does not have a single, universal cause. Much of the condition, whether type 1 or type 2, is attributed to a number of factors, such as age, ethnicity, and overall health. Although most causes are genetically tied, lifestyle habits and other qualities of individual health situations also contribute to developing the diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes Causes
Marked by a lack of insulin in the body, Type 1 diabetes is linked strongly to genetics. Based on the individual's family history, Type 1 diabetes is more than likely to develop in the children of parents who have endured diabetes themselves. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 1 diabetics are more likely to be white, live in colder climates, and to those who may have received limited breastfeeding as a newborn.
People who have Type 1 diabetes are born with the condition. Children, teens, and young adults are the most commonly diagnosed age demographics. Many Type 1 diabetics actually have the auto-antibodies in them present from birth, but may develop the signs later on in life. This can be triggered through age, viruses, or other health factors.
Type 2 Diabetes Causes
Although Type 1 diabetes is heavily tied to genetics, Type 2 diabetes is even more linked to family DNA. Lifestyle factors also play a significant role in the development of the condition, such as overeating, stress, or lack of exercise. Adults, teens, and young adults are among the age groups mostfrequently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Contrary to popular belief, Type 2 diabetes is not caused by being overweight; there are many Type 2 diabetics who are average in size or only slightly overweight. However, being overweight does create a greater risk for developing the disease, which is why exercise and careful dieting are often recommended to help stave off the condition.
If a family member is obese but not a diabetic, there is still a chance that Type 2 may develop if the weight is not controlled. Nevertheless, Type 2 diabetics are almost always genetically disposed for the disease, regardless of how much they weigh. Most people who are obese do not have any form ofdiabetes.
What Diabetes Isn't Caused By
Diabetes is not your average disease. For one, it is not contractible - people can't get diabetes like they would receive a cold from sharing food or drinking out of the same water bottle with someone who is sick. In the same way, being overweight or consuming large amounts of sugar regularly doesn't mean diabetes is inevitable; likewise, avoiding sugar and not gaining any weight is hardly a fool-proof means of preventing diabetes. Diabetes is strictly tied to genetics in most cases, which means if you aren't born with it, chances are you'll never have it.
Diabetes is also has no unifying cause or cure. There is no singular cause of diabetes and currently no cure for the condition. At the same time, the onset of diabetes can be delayed by practicing sound lifestyle habits, such as exercising, eating healthily, and abstaining from smoking, drugs, or other harmful activity. If you sense the onset of diabetes, particularly if your family has been predisposed with Type 2, you can look into these options to keep the condition at bay and minimize its impact.
No matter which form of diabetes you have, there are ways to manage it with minimal adjustments to your life. For the most part, living a healthy and balanced lifestyle with exercise and low sugar and carb foods can put most diabetics on the path to living fruitfully with the lifelong condition of diabetes.
Sources: American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org; U.S. National Library of Medicine, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov