If your sibling has diabetes, you may be concerned if they pass it on to you or other members in your family, or you may wonder if diabetes is inherited in your genetics from a family member who was a diabetic.
In any case, you might think you are more or less susceptible to develop diabetes later in life. It is estimated that about 60-70% of people with prediabetes develop diabetes and as you cannot change certain factors such as your genes or your past, you can certainly take measures for diabetes prevention by making some lifestyle changes.
The odds of developing type 1 diabetes:
- If your parent, sister, brother, daughter or son, who are your immediate relatives have type 1 diabetes, then your risk of developing type 1 diabetes is higher compared to the general population – depending on since when your family member had developed diabetes.
- If one of your child has diabetes, then there is 1 in 10 chance of a risk of their siblings developing diabetes by the age of 50.
- If a mother has diabetes and not the father, then the risk of the child developing diabetes is lower.
- If a father has diabetes, then the risk of the child developing diabetes is the same as the risk having a sibling who is affected with diabetes.
Tracking type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes genetically is quite complex – even if there is a strong genetic basis with type 2 diabetes, the chances of developing the same in most people depend heavily on their behavioural factors and environmental factors, meaning – sedentary lifestyle and obesity.
How to prevent diabetes
It’s best to take preventive measure because diabetes can take a toll on your life. Here’s what you should do.
- Indulge in fiber rich diet – Fiber helps to keep the insulin levels and blood sugar levels low. Eating plenty of fiber also helps in weight management and is good for gut health
- Eat low carb diet – A low carb diet like the ketogenic or the keto diet really helps prevention of diabetes. A low carb diet helps to lower the insulin levels and blood sugar levels evidently, while reducing the risk factors of diabetes and increasing the insulin sensitivity
- Cut down on processed foods – Cut down your consumption of foods that are processed as they are linked to health problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. Avoiding foods that have additives or refined grains and vegetable oils may help reduce the risk of developing diabetes
- Portion size matters – Even when you don’t follow a low carb diet, it is best to maintain portion sizes to reduce the risk of developing diabetes, especially if you are overweight
- Cut out refined carbs & sugar from your diet– Consuming refined carbs and sugary foods can put you at a risk of developing diabetes. Your bloodstream absorbs the sugar molecules that are rapidly broken down from these foods,
which results in a spike in blood sugar levels - Avoid sedentary lifestyle – A sedentary behaviour and laidback lifestyle leads to many health complications and put you at a risk of developing diabetes. Take walks from your work desk every 20 minutes to break the lazy behaviour
- Lose weight if you are obese or overweight – Visceral fat is the excess weight in the midsection and around other abdominal organs like liver that promotes inflammation and insulin resistance and increases the risk of developing diabetes.It is not necessary for an overweight or obese person to
develop diabetes but a majority of people with sedentary lifestyle and no physical activity are at the risk, as diabetes and obesity fall under the same radar - Workout regularly – Working out every day for 30 minutes to an hour can increase insulin sensitivity, secretion and helps the progression of diabetes from pre-diabetes. Choose a physical activity that’s fun for you so that you enjoy doing it every day
- Your primary beverage should be water – Not only drinking water is good for your overall health, skin and hair, it also helps to control insulin levels and blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of developing diabetes
- Quite smoking – Smoking is injurious to health and is strongly linked to be a diabetes risk factor. Quitting smoking helps you stay out the radar of diabetes
Changing your lifestyle for the betterment of your health gives you a better control over the factors that influence diabetes.
