|  | Conditions Treatments | Diabetes

What Is the Hereditary Component of Diabetes?

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 23.6 million American children and adults, or 7.8 percent of the population, have diabetes. Along with environmental risks, there is a hereditary component to diabetes.

  1. Significance

    • Diabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar, or glucose, becomes too high, which can lead to more serious illness like kidney damage.

    Types

    • There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body doesn't produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes happens when your body doesn't produce insulin or use it efficiently.

    Type1

    • According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, your chance to develop Type 1 is approximately 10 to 20 times higher than the general population if an immediate relative has Type 1. Immediate family members include your parents, brothers or sisters.

    Type 2 Risk Factors

    • Besides heredity there are other risk factors which cause you to develop Type 2 diabetes. These factors include lack of exercise, obesity, race and age.

    Type 2

    • If your sibling develops Type 2 diabetes, with no other contributing environmental factors, you have three times the risk of the general population. That increases to 50 percent when you have a parent with the disease, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center.

Diabetes - Related Articles