Who is at risk?

People all over the world get diabetes. The numbers vary from place to place and among ethnic groups. The risk of getting diabetes increases by who you are, how you live and where you live. 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.

Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, but it most often strikes younger people (under 20 years of age) who are of slim build and especially children at the beginning of puberty.

Type 2 diabetes most often affects overweight individuals over 40 years old who have a low level of physical activity.

Both inherited characteristics and environmental factors play a role in the development of diabetes. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has increased over the last 50 years and is continuing to rise. It is estimated by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) that by 2025, there will be over 300 million people with diabetes worldwide.

Is diabetes hereditary?

Children born to parents with diabetes have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

The risk is approximately 5% if one parent has type 1 diabetes, and higher (approximately 11% to 13%) if one parent has type 2 diabetes.

Environmental factors

A number of different environmental factors may play a role in the development of diabetes. Infections and immune system activity are among the factors thought to be involved.

Increased life expectancy in some countries is also an important reason why the number of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide.

Some risk factors come from our family history and genetics and so are with us always, but some can be turned around to help reverse or prevent type 2 diabetes. These risk factors are:

Being obese (about 50 percent of men and 70 percent of women who have diabetes are obese);
Having a lifestyle that does not involve significant physical activity;
Having low HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels; and
Having an increased prevalence of high blood pressure.