Ask The Diabetes Team
Question: From Thomasville, North Carolina, USA: I do not have diabetes but my boyfriend does. Other people in my family and in his have diabetes. He has type 1 diabetes, diagnosed when he was 12. He is 18 and will turn 19 in October 2011. My question is, because he's type 1 diabetic and I am not, when we have children, will our children have diabetes when they are born? Are there tests that doctors can do to test unborn babies for diabetes? Also, are there medications that doctors can administer during pregnancy to prevent the baby from getting diabetes? When my boyfriend's mother was pregnant, her doctors were treating her with some kind of medication to keep the baby from getting diabetes and she lost the baby. We don't feel comfortable asking her about the drugs they were giving her or why she thought she lost the baby. Answer: It is extremely rare for a baby to have diabetes "when they are born." While this can occur, it is not at all common. Might a child the two of you have develop diabetes mellitus later in life? Yes, they might. Type 2 diabetes is the more common type of diabetes that is more often associated with lifestyles of poor eating habits, inactivity, and obesity. Type 2 diabetes more often occurs in adults but, unfortunately, because of the epidemic of childhood obesity, we are seeing this more in children and teens and young adults, too. Type 2 diabetes can run in families but is, by-and-large, avoidable with good attention to staying trim, active, eating a balanced diet, etc. Type 2 diabetes may not necessarily require insulin injections. Type 1 diabetes, the type your boyfriend is said to have, can also be inherited. But, type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections in order to stay alive! Type 1 diabetes is associated with some specific configuratio Continue reading >>
Is Diabetes Genetic?
Diabetes is a complex disease. Several factors must come together for a person to develop Type 2 Diabetes. While genetics may influence whether you’ll get this disease or not, other factors like environmental risk factors and a sedentary lifestyle also play a huge role. So, is type 2 diabetes genetic? And if not, which type of diabetes is genetic? Those are the questions we are faced with today. And unfortunately, the answer is not that simple. Yes, genetics can play a role in increasing the risk for both Diabetes Type 1 as well as Diabetes Type 2, but genes alone will not determine whether you will develop diabetes or not. Will You Get Diabetes If It Runs In Your Family? If you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes, chances are that you’re not the first person in your family who has diabetes. The details of whether diabetes can be inherited, and how this occurs, are not clear yet. About 10% of patients diagnosed with insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes have a first degree relative with this type of diabetes. By first degree relative, we mean father, mother, sibling, twin and child. However, when it comes to the more common type of diabetes, which is Diabetes Type 2, it has a tendency to occur in families, but this is also not very strong and not predictable. A Swedish study on Metabolic Consequences of a Family History of Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus concluded that abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and decreased resting metabolic rate are characteristic features of first-degree relatives of patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (in other words, Diabetes Type 2). And that the decrease in resting metabolic rate is partially related to the degree of abdominal obesity. Many doctors with clinical practice treating diabetes believe that thi Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Causes
Type 2 diabetes has several causes: genetics and lifestyle are the most important ones. A combination of these factors can cause insulin resistance, when your body doesn’t use insulin as well as it should. Insulin resistance is the most common cause of type 2 diabetes. Genetics Play a Role in Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 diabetes can be hereditary. That doesn’t mean that if your mother or father has (or had) type 2 diabetes, you’re guaranteed to develop it; instead, it means that you have a greater chance of developing type 2. Researchers know that you can inherit a risk for type 2 diabetes, but it’s difficult to pinpoint which genes carry the risk. The medical community is hard at work trying to figure out the certain genetic mutations that lead to a risk of type 2. Lifestyle Is Very Important, Too Genes do play a role in type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle choices are also important. You can, for example, have a genetic mutation that may make you susceptible to type 2, but if you take good care of your body, you may not develop diabetes. Say that two people have the same genetic mutation. One of them eats well, watches their cholesterol, and stays physically fit, and the other is overweight (BMI greater than 25) and inactive. The person who is overweight and inactive is much more likely to develop type 2 diabetes because certain lifestyle choices greatly influence how well your body uses insulin. Lack of exercise: Physical activity has many benefits—one of them being that it can help you avoid type 2 diabetes, if you’re susceptible. Unhealthy meal planning choices: A meal plan filled with high-fat foods and lacking in fiber (which you can get from grains, vegetables, and fruits) increases the likelihood of type 2. Overweight/Obesity: Lack of exercise and unhealthy me Continue reading >>
Diabetes And The Family
The World Health Organisation now advises that the relations of people with type 2 diabetes should take precautions. The dietary and exercise advice really apply to every person (whether related to people with diabetes or not), but regular sugar checks are not usually necessary for relations of type 1 diabetics. Some of the genes that are passed on from parents to children have been found. Visit the American Diabetes Association for further information, as they publish new reports each month. A recent study found that losing weight, and having a healthy diet with regular exercise, can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 50%. here. We need to change the way we live...and Government and local Government needs to help at a local level. For everyone (but especially the relations of type 2 diabetics) A healthy lifestyle can delay and even prevent diabetes, even if it is your family and you have inherited the 'diabetic' genes (Lancet 09). Regular exercise such as swimming, cycling, or walking helps to delay or prevent diabetes: 30 minutes a day is the recommended minimum, but 90 minutes a day is needed to lose weight. Exercise is proven to prevent diabetes. Gaining weight increases the risk of diabetes 2-3 times at least. A healthy diet helps to delay or prevent diabetes (see below). Smoking is harmful; it damages the arteries and can double the problems that diabetes can itself cause. Smoking doubles the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Even passive smoking increase the risk. See For the relations of type 2 diabetics, the World Health Organisation recommends a fasting blood sugar test every 3 years. Sunlight also prevents diabetes, mainly type 2, but also to a lesser degree type 1. Thus Bangladeshi immigrants to the UK are thought to be very prone to type 2 di Continue reading >>
Genetics And Type 1 Diabetes
If you have type 1 diabetes, you might wonder if your child would get it, too. Or if one of your parents has it, what it means for you. Your genes definitely play a role in type 1, a less common form of diabetes that’s often diagnosed in children and young adults. But they’re not the whole story. Like much in life, it’s a mix of nature and nurture. Your environment, from where you grow up to the foods you eat, also matters. Researchers don’t know exactly how -- and how much -- all those things affect your chances of getting the disease. Your genes set the stage, but you can’t be certain how it'll all play out. There’s no diabetes gene that gets turned on or off to give you type 1. Instead, a bunch of them play a role, including a dozen or so that have the biggest say: the HLA genes. They make proteins your immune system uses to keep you healthy. Since type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease -- your body destroys the cells that make insulin -- it makes sense that HLA genes are front and center. There are thousands of versions of them in the human gene pool. Which ones you get from your parents affect your chances of diabetes in a big way. Some make you more likely to get it, while others can help protect you from it. You have type 1 if your body makes little or no insulin, a hormone that helps your body turn sugar into energy. Certain genes are more common in one group of people than in another. That’s why race and ethnicity affect things, too. For example, white people are more likely to have type 1 diabetes than others. But even if you have genes that make you more likely to get type 1, that doesn’t mean you definitely will. Even with identical twins -- who have the same exact genes -- sometimes one gets it and the other doesn’t. That’s where the e Continue reading >>
Genetics & Diabetes : What's Your Risk?
A school nurse anxiously wants to know if there is a reason why several children from her small grade school have been diagnosed with type 1 (juvenile onset) diabetes. Is it an epidemic? Will there be more cases? Is a recent chicken pox outbreak to blame? A man in his 50s develops type 2 diabetes. His mother developed diabetes in her 60s. Should this man's brother and sister be concerned, too? What about his children's chances of developing diabetes? A married couple wants to have children, but they are concerned because the husband has type 1 diabetes. They wonder what the risk is that their child would have diabetes. A couple has three young children. One of the children develops type 1 diabetes. There's no history of diabetes anywhere in either parent's families. Is this just a fluke? What are the chances the other children will develop diabetes? Chances are if you or a loved one have diabetes, you may wonder if you inherited it from a family member or you may be concerned that you will pass the disease on to your children. Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center report that, while much has been learned about what genetic factors make one more susceptible to developing diabetes than another, many questions remain to be answered. While some people are more likely to get diabetes than others, and in some ways type 2 (adult onset diabetes) is simpler to track than type 1 (juvenile onset) diabetes, the pattern is not always clear. For more than 20 years researchers in the Epidemiology and Genetics Section at Joslin in Boston (Section Head Andrzej S. Krolewski, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Investigator James H. Warram, M.D., Sc.D., and colleagues) have been studying diabetes incidence and hereditary factors. They are continuing a scientific journey begun by Elliott P. Joslin, M.D., Continue reading >>
Is Type 2 Diabetes Caused By Genetics?
Diabetes is a complex condition. Several factors must come together for you to develop type 2 diabetes. For example, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle play a role. Genetics can also influence whether you’ll get this disease. If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there’s a good chance that you’re not the first person with diabetes in your family. According to the American Diabetes Association, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is: 1 in 7 if one of your parents was diagnosed before the age of 50 1 in 13 if one of your parents was diagnosed after the age of 50 1 in 2, or 50 percent, if both your parents have diabetes Several gene mutations have been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. These gene mutations can interact with the environment and each other to further increase your risk. Type 2 diabetes is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Scientists have linked several gene mutations to a higher diabetes risk. Not everyone who carries a mutation will get diabetes. But many people with diabetes do have one or more of these mutations. It can be difficult to separate genetic risk from environmental risk. The latter is often influenced by your family members. For example, parents with healthy eating habits are likely to pass them on to the next generation. On the other hand, genetics plays a big part in determining weight. Sometimes behaviors can’t take all the blame. Studies of twins suggest that type 2 diabetes might be linked to genetics. These studies were complicated by the environmental influences that also affect type 2 diabetes risk. To date, numerous mutations have been shown to affect type 2 diabetes risk. The contribution of each gene is generally small. However, each additional mutation you have seems to increase your Continue reading >>
Diabetes In The Family: Is It Inherited?
I’m asking this on behalf of a friend whose grandfather and father have diabetes. Is it more likely that my friend will get it too? Is diabetes fatal? Diabetes occurs in two forms; type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes), which occurs in young people and is the more severe form, requiring insulin injections type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes), which is milder and occurs in older people and is usually controlled with diet and tablets. The details of whether diabetes can be inherited, and how this occurs, are not clear. About 10 per cent of people getting the more severe Type 1 diabetes have a close relative with this type of diabetes. That is not the same as saying that 10 per cent of people with affected relatives will get diabetes, but there is an unpredictable association. Type 2 diabetes also has a tendency to occur in families, but this is also not very strong and not predictable. In your friend’s case, if grandfather and father are affected, they probably have the milder Type 2 form of diabetes, so your friend has little risk of developing diabetes at a young age. It may be there is an increased risk of him developing diabetes in later life, but it would be the milder Type 2 form. I am a little confused that you say, ‘he takes pills and does a blood sugar test’. If you are referring to your friend then this probably means he has the mild form of diabetes already, and is probably an older person. You ask if you can get very ill with diabetes and die. Diabetes is a serious condition, but these days if patients follow their diet and take their pills or insulin treatment regularly, and keep their blood sugar within certain limits, they rarely get seriously ill and can live a long and active life. That is not to say there are no dangers with di Continue reading >>
New Findings On The Role Of The Mother In Type 2 Diabetes
Research from Lund University in Sweden can explain why type 2 diabetes is inherited to a greater extent from an individual's mother. The heredity of a previously known risk gene, THADA, has proven to be dominant if it comes from the mother, whereas it has little or no effect on the child's risk of disease if it originates from the father. "Our research contributes to increased knowledge about the role of the mother and father in the heredity of type 2 diabetes," says Rashmi Prasad. The causes of type 2 diabetes are a combination of heredity and environment. However, only up to 15 percentage of the heredity can be explained by genetic factors discovered till date. Leif Groop, the Lund University professor responsible for the new study, has contributed to a large extent to our current knowledge about heredity and type 2 diabetes. He participated in the first major genetic mapping presented in 2012, which identified a large number of risk genes for type 2 diabetes. He was also part of a Finnish study, which showed in 1996 that the hereditary risk is greater if the mother has type 2 diabetes. The new study combines knowledge from the previous investigations with new genetic analyses of families in which one parent and a child suffer from type 2 diabetes. The findings from the study explain how the heredity of the disease is passed down within families, whether it comes from the mother or the father. The researchers used data and DNA gathered from two of the world's largest family studies, the Botnia study in Finland and the Transdanubian Biobank in Hungary. In total, around 4000 families were included in the study of which 2000 were used for the current study. The results show that the variations in two previously identified risk genes for type 2 diabetes, KCNQ1 and THADA, Continue reading >>
The Genetics Of Diabetes
Why me? How did I deserve this? Am I to blame? These are questions that many people ask when diagnosed with a serious condition or disease. Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut answer when it comes to diabetes. Unlike some traits, diabetes doesn’t seem to be inherited in a simple pattern, and there is a lot of misinformation out there about its causes. (Have you ever had to explain that diabetes doesn’t happen because someone ate too much sugar?) It’s apparent, though, that some people are born more likely to develop diabetes than others. We know that type 1 and type 2 diabetes have different causes, but genetics plays an important role in both types. People with diabetes inherit a predisposition to the disease, then something in their environment triggers it. Identical twins are proof that genes alone are not enough, however. Identical twins have identical genes; therefore, they should have the same genetic risk for a disease—right? Not necessarily. Research has found that if one identical twin has type 1 diabetes, the other twin will get the disease about 50 percent of the time. For type 2 diabetes, that risk rises to as much as 4 in 5. In both type 1 and type 2, identical twins have a much higher risk of both developing diabetes than non-identical (fraternal) twins, which further supports the fact that genetics is involved. So what are the causes of type 1 diabetes? Again, we know that genetics is involved. We also know that it’s not just one gene responsible, but many different genes, each of which contributes only a small part of the risk. Scientists have identified a few genes responsible for type 1, but the majority of the genetic risk is still unidentified. Because of the data about identical twins, we know that type 1 diabetes doesn’t arise solely Continue reading >>
- The Genetics of Diabetes
- DNA methylation links genetics, fetal environment, and an unhealthy lifestyle to the development of type 2 diabetes
- American Diabetes Association® Releases 2018 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, with Notable New Recommendations for People with Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
Is Diabetes Genetic? Facts About Hereditary Risk
Diabetes is a complex set of diseases with no single cause. Genetic factors make some people more vulnerable to diabetes, particularly with the right environment. In addition, certain lifestyle factors can cause type 2 diabetes in individuals with no known family history. This complex interaction between genes, lifestyle, and environment points to the importance of taking steps to minimize individual diabetes risk. Is type 1 diabetes hereditary? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means that it causes the body's immune system to attack healthy cells. It is often called juvenile diabetes because most people are diagnosed in childhood, and the condition then lasts their lifetime. Doctors used to think type 1 diabetes was wholly genetic. Newer studies have shown, however, that children develop type 1 diabetes 3 percent of the time if their mother has the condition, 5 percent of the time if their father has it, or 8 percent if a sibling has type 1 diabetes. Consequently, researchers now believe that something in the environment has to trigger type 1 diabetes. Some risk factors include: Cold weather. People develop type 1 diabetes in winter more frequently than summer. It is also more common in places with cool climates. Viruses. Researchers think some viruses might activate type 1 diabetes in people who are otherwise vulnerable. Measles, mumps, coxsackie B virus, and rotavirus have been linked to type 1 diabetes. Research suggests that people who develop type 1 diabetes may have autoimmune antibodies in their blood for many years before showing symptoms. As a result, the disease may develop over time, or something may have to activate the autoimmune antibodies for symptoms to appear. Is type 2 diabetes hereditary? Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of the d Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a disorder characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels. In this form of diabetes, the body stops using and making insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Specifically, insulin controls how much glucose (a type of sugar) is passed from the blood into cells, where it is used as an energy source. When blood sugar levels are high (such as after a meal), the pancreas releases insulin to move the excess glucose into cells, which reduces the amount of glucose in the blood. Most people who develop type 2 diabetes first have insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's cells use insulin less efficiently than normal. As insulin resistance develops, more and more insulin is needed to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range. To keep up with the increasing need, insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (called beta cells) make larger amounts of insulin. Over time, the beta cells become less able to respond to blood sugar changes, leading to an insulin shortage that prevents the body from reducing blood sugar levels effectively. Most people have some insulin resistance as they age, but inadequate exercise and excessive weight gain make it worse, greatly increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can occur at any age, but it most commonly begins in middle age or later. Signs and symptoms develop slowly over years. They include frequent urination (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), fatigue, blurred vision, tingling or loss of feeling in the hands and feet (diabetic neuropathy), sores that do not heal well, and weight loss. If blood sugar levels are not controlled through medication or diet, type 2 diabetes can cause long-lasting (chronic) health prob Continue reading >>
12 Things That Make Type 2 Diabetes More Likely
You're more likely to get type 2 diabetes if: 1. Diabetes runs in your family. If you have a parent, brother, or sister who has it, your chances rise. But you can take action through everyday lifestyle habits, like exercise and healthy eating, to lower your odds of following in their footsteps. 2. You have prediabetes. That means your blood sugar level is above normal but you don't have the disease yet. To keep it that way, get more active and lose any extra weight. Your doctor may recommend you take the prescription drug metformin. 3. You're not physically active. It's never too late to change that. Check in with your doctor first, so you know what's safe for you to do. 4. You're overweight, especially around your waist. Not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight, but extra pounds make you more likely to get the condition. Belly fat seems to be particularly risky. 5. You've had heart disease. 6. You have high blood pressure. 7. Your "good" cholesterol level is low. It's too low if it's less than 40 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). 8. Your triglyceride level is high. It's too high if it's over 150 mg/dL. 9. You've had diabetes during pregnancy before. That condition (called gestational diabetes) or delivering a baby over 9 pounds can make you more likely to get type 2 diabetes. 10. You're a woman who has PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). 11. You're age 45 or older. The chance of getting type 2 diabetes rises with age. But diabetes isn't a normal part of aging. 12. You're Hispanic, African-American, Native American, or Asian American. Diabetes is more common among these groups. Talk with your doctor to get a better sense of your risk. He can help you make a plan that will keep you in good health. Continue reading >>
About Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Most of the people with diabetes in the United States have type 2 diabetes, and it is on the rise, especially in younger people. More preteens, teens, and young adults are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than ever before. Causes Like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is inherited. This means a group of genes that can lead to type 2 is passed down from mothers and fathers to their children. Not everyone who inherits the genes will develop it, but if you have the genes for type 2 diabetes, you've got a greater chance of developing it. Your chances are even higher if you're also overweight and don't get much exercise. Having a sweet tooth won't cause type 2 diabetes, but a diet high in simple sugars and other unhealthy foods can cause you to gain weight. Most people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight. In addition to being overweight, there are some other factors that put a person at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, including: Having a family history of diabetes. Being older than 40. Having gestational diabetes during a pregnancy. Giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds. Being African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, or Native American. Insulin Resistance and Impaired Fasting Glucose Insulin resistance is when cells have trouble using insulin. The cells resist insulin's message to open up, and don't work as fast to let the sugar in. When this happens, the pancreas works harder to make more insulin, which it releases into the blood to keep blood sugar levels normal. Insulin resistance can lead to a condition called impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. This happens when the pancreas can't make enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels in a normal Continue reading >>
Genetic Screening For The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
The prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes, representing >90% of all cases of diabetes, are increasing rapidly throughout the world. The International Diabetes Federation has estimated that the number of people with diabetes is expected to rise from 366 million in 2011 to 552 million by 2030 if no urgent action is taken. Furthermore, as many as 183 million people are unaware that they have diabetes (www.idf.org). Therefore, the identification of individuals at high risk of developing diabetes is of great importance and interest for investigators and health care providers. Type 2 diabetes is a complex disorder resulting from an interaction between genes and environment. Several risk factors for type 2 diabetes have been identified, including age, sex, obesity and central obesity, low physical activity, smoking, diet including low amount of fiber and high amount of saturated fat, ethnicity, family history, history of gestational diabetes mellitus, history of the nondiabetic elevation of fasting or 2-h glucose, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and different drug treatments (diuretics, unselected β-blockers, etc.) (1–3). There is also ample evidence that type 2 diabetes has a strong genetic basis. The concordance of type 2 diabetes in monozygotic twins is ~70% compared with 20–30% in dizygotic twins (4). The lifetime risk of developing the disease is ~40% in offspring of one parent with type 2 diabetes, greater if the mother is affected (5), and approaching 70% if both parents have diabetes. In prospective studies, we have demonstrated that first-degree family history is associated with twofold increased risk of future type 2 diabetes (1,6). The challenge has been to find genetic markers that explain the excess risk associated with family history of diabetes Continue reading >>
