Diabetes The Basics An Introduction: What Factors Contribute To The Development of Diabetes?
Diabetes The Basics An Introduction: What Factors Contribute To The Development of Diabetes?
Diabetes The Basics An Introduction: What Factors Contribute To The Development of Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes
Being over 35 years of age Being obese (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater) Being a member of a high-risk population: people of Aboriginal, African, Asian, Hispanic or South Asian descent Having a history of gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy or having given birth to a high birth weight baby (over 4 kg or 9 lbs) Being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome or acanthosis nigricans
Use of corticosteroids5,6
All pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks gestation. Women with multiple risk factors should be screened during the first trimester.7
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a state where blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. 4 It is a practical way of describing a condition where a person has impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).8 While having prediabetes certainly places a person at risk for developing diabetes and its complications, it is important to note that not all individuals with prediabetes will necessarily progress to diabetes. Indeed, a significant proportion of people who are diagnosed with IFG or IGT will return to having normal blood glucose levels with proper lifestyle modification.8 People with prediabetes are at higher risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that, for people with IGT, making lifestyle changes has been highly effective in delaying or preventing the onset of diabetes.8,9 Appropriate lifestyle changes included: increased physical activity (at least 150 minutes per week) eating low-calorie, low-fat meals some weight loss (even as little as 5-10% of total body weight)9