- When asking what causes diabetes, the answer can vary widely depending on whether you’re talking about type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Each type of diabetes has unique causes.
- An auto-immune response preventing your pancreas from producing insulin to regulate blood sugar is what causes type 1 diabetes. It can be much harder to identify what causes type 2 diabetes, as it may be caused by any number or combination of multiple factors, such as: age, weight, lifestyle factors, genetics, diet, and/or ethnicity.
- There is no direct link between whether sugar does cause diabetes in adults, but excessive sugar intake can lead to weight gain and other health issues, which are known contributing risk factors to type 2 diabetes.
- If you’re over the age of 40, and you have a family member that has type 2 diabetes, you’re at a higher risk for it to occur.
- There are a number of other medical conditions that may increase your risk of experiencing type 2 diabetes, including: obstructive sleep apnea, PCOS, prediabetes, psychiatric disorders, high blood pressure or cholesterol, obesity, and/or dark patches of skin called acanthosis nigricans.
- Thankfully, there are a number of ways that you can reduce the risk of diabetes occurring, as well as create healthier habits for how to avoid or prevent diabetes from worsening, such as positive lifestyle changes (i.e., losing weight, eating a healthier diet).
- If you believe that you could be at risk for diabetes, or you’re curious about what causes type 2 diabetes and how you can avoid it becoming part of your life, complete an assessment to talk to a practitioner at Felix today.
Diabetes is a very common condition. In fact, in Canada, roughly 10% of the population is living with diagnosed type 1 or type 2 diabetes. That number increases to 15% when you include undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes, which is a statistic that’s slowly increasing each year.
But what causes diabetes? Is there a difference between what causes type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Does sugar cause diabetes?
This page will answer these questions, as well as cover things like the correlation between diabetes and obesity, how diabetes is related to genetics, and some tactics you can use to reduce your risks of diabetes occurring.
Common Causes of Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes
It’s important to remember that there is no single cause of diabetes occurring. This is especially important when considering the differences between what causes type 1 or type 2 diabetes, which are caused by very different factors.
Diabetes may not even be caused by a single factor. In fact, in many cases, it’s a combination of different factors that results in someone becoming diabetic, including things like lifestyle factors, age, weight, genetics, family history, and/or ethnic background.
To better understand the differences between what causes type 1 or type 2 diabetes, let’s explore their causes individually in more detail.
What Causes Type 1 Diabetes?
An autoimmune response is actually what causes type 1 diabetes, which is a genetic issue.
Your body targets and destroys specific cells in your pancreas, which are in charge of producing insulin to regulate body sugars. It does this, because your body believes that these cells are causing you harm, rather than providing a useful benefit to your body.
This prevents your pancreas from making insulin that your body needs to manage blood sugar levels, therefore causing your sugar levels to fluctuate; especially after eating or during long periods between meals.
Some researchers believe that it could be genetics, environmental factors, or a combination of both that triggers type 1 diabetes to present.
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
Most frequently, what causes type 2 diabetes in adults is your body developing a resistance to the effects of insulin, or when your body is unable (for any reason) to produce enough insulin to effectively manage your blood sugar levels.
The specific reasons behind what causes type 2 diabetes are still unknown, although many scientists believe that it could be a combination of elements, and that both genetics and lifestyle factors (i.e., diet, exercise, etc.), may also impact your risk of type 2 diabetes occurring.
Gestational diabetes, on the other hand, can lead to a higher risk of the baby getting type 2 diabetes, due to elevated blood sugar levels in utero during pregnancy.
Is There a Link Between Sugar Intake & Type 2 Diabetes Development?
It’s very important to note here that eating a lot of sugar is not what directly causes type 2 diabetes. This is a myth that many people associate with diabetes, due to the fact that managing this condition requires maintaining safe blood sugar levels.
However, eating excessive amounts of sugar will increase your risks of obesity, as well as other medical conditions, which have been linked to diabetes.
So, while sugar does not cause diabetes on its own, frequently eating sugary foods has the opportunity to increase your risks of experiencing type 2 diabetes.
Genetic & Hereditary Factors in Type 2 Diabetes Development
If you’re over the age of 40, and you have a family member (i.e., parent, sibling, etc.), who has type 2 diabetes, you're at a higher risk of it occurring.
Your ethnic background also plays a role in your risks of experiencing type 2 diabetes. Specifically, people with Asian, African, Arab, Indigenous, Hispanic, or South Asian heritages are more likely to experience type 2 diabetes than those with other ethnic backgrounds.
It may be more challenging to find a method for how to avoid or prevent diabetes in these scenarios, as your contributing factors (age and hereditary/genetic factors) are unavoidable.
How Health Conditions & Medications Contribute to Diabetes
There are certain health conditions or lifestyle factors that can increase your chances of experiencing type 2 diabetes, such as:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Prediabetes
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Psychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, bipolar disorder, etc.)
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol or other fats in your blood
- Obesity or a high BMI
- Dark patches of skin (called acanthosis nigricans)
If you’re looking for how to avoid or prevent diabetes, and you know that any of these elements currently apply to you, talk to your practitioner about what care options are available for that issue, which in turn, can help reduce your risk of experiencing type 2 diabetes.
The Connection Between Obesity & Diabetes
Yes, long-term, uncontrolled weight gain may cause diabetes. Diabetes and obesity are so intertwined, not only is it well-known that obesity can worsen the symptoms of diabetes, there’s actually a new term being used in the scientific community - Diabesity.
This term is used because in these scenarios, obesity causes diabetes by preventing your cells from letting glucose into them. Normally, it would move excess glucose into your liver to be stored for later, but with diabetes caused by obesity, the area of the liver used to store excess insulin is usually already filled with fats.
With nowhere to store excess glucose, it’s forced to remain in your bloodstream. In turn, this causes your blood sugar levels to remain higher than they should be, and over time, this can cause damage to various other parts of your body (i.e., problems with your nervous system, vision issues, etc.).
How to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes Through Prevention
Unfortunately, type 1 diabetes is genetic, which is non-preventable. People with type 1 diabetes cannot delay or prevent the condition from eventually presenting. They can only learn to manage their diabetes symptoms with the support of a licensed healthcare practitioner.
Thankfully, there are methods for how to avoid or prevent type 2 diabetes from presenting. These could involve things like lifestyle changes to eat a healthier, well-balanced diet, exercising more regularly or for longer periods of time, and losing weight, if your practitioner believes your diabetes is being caused primarily by obesity.
There are a couple of important things to remember though, as you’re working hard to manage your type 2 diabetes. The first being that there is no overnight cure for diabetes. Controlling type 2 diabetes is a long-term process that requires ongoing oversight and commitment.
The other thing to remember is that you’re not alone!
There are supports available to help you create a personalized treatment plan that takes your unique needs and goals into account, so that you can find a healthy balance between preventing/managing your diabetes and living your life the way you want to. That’s where Felix can help.
When Should I Talk to My Practitioner About Reducing My Diabetes Risks?
The practitioners at Felix have experience helping patients manage their type 2 diabetes, reduce the risks of diabetes occurring in prediabetes patients, and even offer suggestions for how to avoid or prevent diabetes from becoming a reality for you.
To get started, all you have to do is complete a short online assessment, at your convenience. Your practitioner will evaluate your needs, in order to provide a custom-tailored treatment plan; all from the comfort and privacy of your own home!
With Felix in your corner, you can take back control of your diabetes and your quality of life, so you can get back to living life on your terms - the way it should be.
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