Family History of Diabetes - Can It Increase Your Risk?

Diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. While having a parent, an aunt or uncle or grandparents who suffer from type 2 diabetes increases an individual s risk of suffering from this condition, it does not make it inevitable. There are a number of genetic mutations linked to diabetes such as TCF7L2 that influences glucose production and insulin secretion, GLUT2 that helps glucose move to the pancreas, ABCC8 that helps insulin regulation and GCGR that helps regulate glucose but not everyone who carries these genetic mutations is a diabetic.

Gestational diabetes refers to a temporary form of diabetes that affects pregnant women. If a woman has a family history of type 2 diabetes, she has a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes often resolves itself after childbirth but can increase the women s risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes later on. Gestational diabetes also increases the new born child s risk of type 2 diabetes.

Whether you have a family history of type 2 diabetes or not, it can be prevented. Obesity caused by overeating is one of the biggest lifestyle risk factors of diabetes. This is because when one eats more than the amount required the endoplasmic reticulum inside cells trigger insulin resistance. With time, this causes persistently high blood sugar levels. Thus managing weight is one of the key factors towards lowering the risk of diabetes. This can be done by following a diet that is rich in fibre and low in fat accompanied by regular exercise.

If you have a family history of diabetes, your doctor may suggest a genetic test to determine your risk of being a diabetic. This is usually performed in cases where additional risk factors such as a high body mass index. High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are also present. Certain ethnic groups such as Asian Americans, Hispanics and African Americans also have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and hence may be advised genetic testing for the same.