The exact causes of diabetes are not known, but there are several things that can put you at risk or make you more likely to develop one of the types of diabetes. These risk factors depend on which type of diabetes is in question. There are two main types of diabetes, Type I and Type II, but there is also another type of diabetes, called gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes can develop in women that are pregnant, and often goes away after the baby is born.
Type I diabetes was once called juvenile onset diabetes. In Type I diabetes, your pancreas produces no insulin, which requires you to take insulin shots to help control your blood sugar levels. Type I diabetes may have a genetic link, meaning it may be hereditary or passed on to you by family members. While not everyone with Type I diabetes has family members with a history of diabetes, people with diabetes in the family are more likely to develop it themselves.
Type II diabetes is different. In Type II diabetes, the pancreas is producing insulin – the body is just unable to respond to it normally or process it. Type II diabetes can develop at any time, and its risk factors are much more clear – a history of being overweight, a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eat habits, aging, a history of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and your genetics and family history. To avoid developing Type II diabetes, you can up your amount of daily exercise. Exercising both helps you maintain a healthy weight and improve your body’s ability to process and respond to insulin. You can also improve your diet by eating more fruits and vegetables and other foods that are low in fat. Lowering your cholesterol will also help.