What Causes Diabetes?

Some call it the "Lifestyle Disease" and others still use the term "diabetes". Although there are many contributing factors that contribute to diabetes, doctors are looking at today's lifestyles and affects when determining what causes diabetes. Some of the common causes of diabetes are age, stress, heredity and obesity.

Basic Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes generally affects men, yet it can also carry a genetic nature as well. Basically, the pancreas just stops producing insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the reverse of type 1 diabetes to some extent. People with type 2 diabetes still produce insulin and yet their bodies cannot use it properly. It usually appears in most middle-aged adults and is classified as NIDDM (non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus).

Age

Diabetes is often found in older folks, although some infants are now showing up with this condition. Older adults have had longer to establish poor eating and exercise habits than younger adults. Maintaining a mediocre or poor lifestyle may eventually catch up with your health.

Stress

Doctors have begun to place more importance on stress as a contributing factor of diabetes. Doubtless, many of us work more hours than ever before, worry about money concerns and live a highly stressful life in some instances.

Heredity

It may pay to check the medical history of your immediate family to see if diabetes is hereditary in your family. Quite often if a mother, father or both have already been diagnosed with diabetes, children are likely to have the same disease.

Obesity

More people than ever before are being diagnosed with obesity or being overweight. Much of our society works at desk jobs or other careers that do not require much physical exercise. This trend leads to a large proportion of overweight children and adults. Carrying extra weight or being obese is a major factor contributing to diabetes.