What Are the Chances of Getting Diabetes?

Diabetes can be a devastating disease, for which there is no cure. There are many factors involved when determining someone’s risk for developing this disease--some they can control and others they cannot.

Age

• Age plays an important role in the development of the disease. Twice as many people over the age of 60 are currently diagnosed with diabetes than those in the 20 and older category.

Gender

• Gender doesn’t seem to influence your chances much. Men have only a slightly higher incidence of developing diabetes than women.

Ethnicity

• Ethnicity plays an imprtant role in determining diabetes risk. While blacks have only 3.7 million people currently diagnosed with diabetes, this accounts for almost 15% of that population. The Caucasian community has nearly 10% of its population afflicted with the disease. Latin, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Alaskan populations also have a higher incidence of diabetes.

Weight

• Weight plays a role in the development of the disease as well. Overweight and obese people have a much greater chance of developing diabetes than peers who maintain a healthy weight.

Other Factors

• Other factors that increase the likelihood that someone will develop diabetes are poor diet and sedentary lifestyles. Both of these increase the likelihood that someone will be overweight. Pregnancy can also cause diabetes, though this is usually termporary. Gestational diabetes will often resolve itself after the baby is delivered.