1. Obesity
The number one risk factor for type 2 diabetes is obesity. The Obesity Society estimates that almost one-third, or 72 million, of the adult population of the United States is overweight or obese. Excess weight puts us at risk for not only diabetes, but other conditions as well, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
- Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
- Rising Obesity Rate Puts Kids at Risk
- Use a BMI Chart for Obesity Management
2. An Inactive Lifestyle
A life in front of the computer and/or television can lead to health problems.
Regular exercise can help reduce or prevent your risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as well as a host of other chronic conditions and diseases. Exercise can lower blood glucose levels and build muscle. Muscle cells are more receptive to insulin then fat cells, so your body becomes less resistant to insulin as body fat decreases and muscle increases.
- Why Exercise Helps Diabetes
- Exercise: The Power Tool for Diabetes Management
- Cardiovascular Exercise and Diabetes
3. Family Genetics and Ethnicity
If you have relatives who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you are at a greater risk for developing it too. African Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders also have a higher than normal rate of type 2 diabetes. But having type 2 diabetes in your genetics doesn't mean that you'll automatically get it. Unhealthy lifestyle choices increase the risk.
Knowing the risk factors for type 2 diabetes can help you avoid being diagnosed with the disease.
Sources:
Pratt, Jane. (2009). Obesity Driving America's Healthcare to a Tipping Point. The Obesity Society, Retrieved from http://www.obesity.org/news/pr_09082009.pdf
