6 Factors That Increase Your Risk for Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects your body’s ability to convert sugar to energy. More than 34 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease, and about 95% have Type 2 diabetes. Anyone can develop Type 2 diabetes, but certain factors can increase your risk of developing it. 

At Integrative Primary Care in Katy, Texas, which serves the Houston area, our providers specialize in helping diabetics manage their condition and assisting at-risk patients lower their chances of getting the disease.

Here’s a closer look at Type 2 diabetes and the factors that can increase your risk of developing it.

What do I need to know about Type 2 diabetes?

Your body takes the foods you eat and turns it into glucose to use as energy. To do this, your pancreas makes insulin. This hormone acts like a key, unlocking the cells of your body to let glucose in, where it’s burned as energy. 

When you have Type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin, but your cells don’t respond to it properly. As a result, the glucose remains in your blood, raising your blood sugar. Taking preventive steps to reduce your chances of developing the disease is important, since Type 2 diabetes is linked to many serious health conditions, including:

• Heart disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Blindness
• Nerve damage 
• Mental health issues
• Oral health issues

People with diabetes also develop sexual dysfunction at higher rates.

What can increase my risk of developing Type 2 diabetes?

Here’s a look at some of the most common factors that can increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Keep in mind, however, that diabetes is complicated, and having one or more of these risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll develop the disease. 

1. Your weight

Being overweight or obese is the most significant risk factor in developing Type 2 diabetes. In fact, being overweight is so closely linked to Type 2 diabetes that researchers have coined the term “diabesity” to describe this growing concern. 

When you’re overweight, you have too much “stored energy” (fat) in your liver. This makes it hard to fit in more glucose, so it stays in your blood, elevating your blood sugar levels. 

As a result, the other cells in your body also resist insulin, further raising blood glucose levels. Your pancreas tries to lower your blood sugar by making more insulin, but this “overworking” affects its ability to function properly, triggering Type 2 diabetes. 

2. Your physical activity

The less physically active you are, the greater your risk is of developing Type 2 diabetes. One reason is that regular exercise helps you stay in control of your weight. 

Being physically active also uses up glucose, since your body burns it as energy. This makes your cells less resistant to insulin and lowers your risk of developing the disease. 

3. Your family history

Although having a close family member with Type 2 diabetes doesn’t mean you’ll get the disease, it increases your risk. Studies have found several genes linked to the disease, so you’re more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if you have a sibling or parent with the condition. 

4. Your heart health

You are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if you have a history of heart health issues, including:

• Hypertension
• High triglycerides
• Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
• Stroke

Talk to your doctor at Integrative Primary Care about your risk for diabetes if you have any of these conditions. 

5. Your age

If you’re age 45 or older, your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes is higher. However, many other factors affect the development of the disease, not simply age alone. Since adults ages 45-64 are diagnosed most frequently, it’s important to get screened if you’re in this age group. 

6. Your ethnic background

Some groups in the United States have higher rates of Type 2 diabetes. American Indians and Pacific Islanders are twice as likely as Caucasians to develop Type 2 diabetes, and African American and Latino/Hispanic individuals also have a much higher risk. 

Researchers are investigating the link between ethnicity and diabetes, but they believe genetics, body type, and learned lifestyle factors play a role. If you’re a member of one of these groups, coming in for regular health screenings may save your life.

What should I do if I’m worried about Type 2 diabetes?

If you have risk factors for diabetes or have prediabetes, talk to your primary care provider at Integrative Primary Care.

For people at risk of getting Type 2 diabetes, healthy lifestyle changes can lower your odds of getting the disease. Your Integrative Primary Care provider can make personalized recommendations for these changes.

To learn more about your risk factors for developing diabetes, call 832-500-7585 or book an appointment online with Integrative Primary Care today.