What Puts You At Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes?

Type II diabetes is also called late-onset diabetes because it rarely affects people under 40 years old. Millions of Americans and people in Europe and in other developed countries get Type II diabetes when they reach middle age. Some people might have a genetic tendency that causes the cells in their pancreas to stop producing insulin. In others, the diseases develops because of their lifestyle.


Several things increase the risk for Type II diabetes. The first and major risk factor is obesity. Having too much body fat greatly increases your risk of developing diabetes because of the strain it puts on the pancreas over the years. If you smoke, that is another major factor because smokers have a much harder job controlling their blood sugar. If blood sugar is generally high, the pancreas can become damaged.

Being inactive and eating a diet high in fat, salt, refined sugars and alcohol are also thought to play a part.

The best way to avoid diabetes as far as possible is to stay active throughout your life, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and complex carbohydrates rather than fats and processed foods. Never smoking and keeping your weight down are also good moves.