Genetics of Diabetic Disorders

People with diabetes often wonder how they got it, where it came from, and whether their children will get it. There is no definitive answer because diabetes is greatly influenced by environment and lifestyle, but some people are more likely to develop diabetes than others due to genetic risk factors. Predisposition alone, however, is not usually sufficient to trigger either type I or type II diabetes.

Type I Diabetes

• Type I diabetes is most common in children where both parents carry genetic risk factors. But most of the people who are potentially at risk never develop the disease, so there are additional influences at work. Cold weather is thought to be a trigger because type I diabetes is more likely to develop during the winter in cold climates. Another popular theory is that it may be triggered by a virus.

  Baby and toddler diet may also play a part in the development of type I diabetes. It develops far less commonly in people who were breastfed as babies and those who did not begin eating solids until they were older.

Type II Diabetes

• Type II diabetes has a stronger traceable relation to genetics, but at the same time is heavily influenced by lifestyle factors like high fat diets, lack of exercise and low fiber intake. That puts Americans and Europeans at highest risk. People who live in countries that do not typically follow an American lifestyle have a much lower chance of developing diabetes, regardless of genetic risk factors, suggesting that lifestyle is the issue that tips the scales in favor of developing diabetes. That being said, global trading has created a recent alarming rise in type II diabetes in every country.

Lifestyle

• The people most at risk are those who are obese and sedentary. Those considerations, along with genetic factors are a recipe for type II diabetes. Generally speaking, if you are a type II diabetic diagnosed before the age of 50, your child has a 1 in 7 chance of developing diabetes. If you were diagnosed after 50, the odds are a little longer, 1 in 13. Some research suggests that the child's risk is higher if the mother has diabetes, and higher still--50 percent chance--if both parents are diabetic.

Reducing the Risks of Type II Diabetes

• Children of diabetic parents can greatly decrease their chances of developing the disease with regular exercise and a low-fat diet that has plenty of fiber. In addition to preventing most cases of diabetes, people who eat healthy foods and get regular exercise are likely to feel happier, healthier and to retain memory function later into life.

Genetic Studies

• The genetic risk factors of diabetic disorders are not completely understood, but a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine outlined a research project conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on a group of people with the TCF7L2 gene, which scientists have identified as a risk factor for blood sugar control. The study conclusively proved that diet and exercise significantly lowered the risk of developing type II diabetes even in extremely high risk patients.