The exact cause of most types of diabetes is unknown. In all cases, sugar builds up in the blood stream. This is because the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be caused by a combination of genetic or environmental factors.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs because the body cannot properly use blood sugar (glucose). The exact cause of this malfunction is unknown, but genetic and environmental factors play an important role. Diabetes risk factors include obesity and high cholesterol levels. Some specific causes are discussed below.
This is mainly the cause of type 1 diabetes. It occurs when insulin-producing cells are damaged or destroyed and stop producing insulin. Insulin is needed to bring blood sugar to cells throughout the body. The resulting insulin deficiency leaves too much sugar in the blood and not enough in the cells to produce energy.
Excessive body fat can cause insulin resistance. Adipose tissue can cause inflammation, which can lead to insulin resistance. However, many overweight people never develop diabetes, and more research is needed on the relationship between obesity and diabetes. Exercise makes muscle tissue respond better to insulin.
This is why regular aerobic exercise and resistance training can reduce the risk of diabetes. Talk to your doctor about an exercise plan that's safe for you. Researchers say a pancreas transplant can help people with type 1 diabetes control insulin and glucose levels, but the procedure has drawbacks. The body mass index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height.
Most health professionals rely on BMI to assess whether their patients are overweight (BMI of 25 or more) or obese (BMI of 30 or more). All overweight adults should talk to their doctor about getting tested for type 2 diabetes. . People who have prediabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
If you have prediabetes, losing a small amount of weight if you're overweight, and getting regular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A lifestyle change program offered through the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program can help you make those changes and make them stick. Through the program, you can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58% (71% if you are 60 years old or older). Some people don't discover they have the disease until they have diabetes-related health problems, such as blurred vision or heart problems.
People with IGT or IFG have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, although this is not inevitable. Normal-weight people of Asian descent may have too much visceral fat and may be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes with a lower BMI. Members of the diabetes community say they are hopeful after federal regulators approve a new drug that may delay the onset of type 1 diabetes. Monogenic forms of diabetes are rare, accounting for only 1 to 5 percent of all diabetes cases found in young people.
The Compact brings together all stakeholders to work on a shared vision of reducing the risk of diabetes and ensuring that all people diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care. .
