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Diabetes, Heart Disease & Alzheimer's Risks

Diabetes occurs when your body makes too little insulin or resists insulin's effects. Heart disease describes conditions affecting your heart and blood vessels. Alzheimer's disease occurs when brain tissue degenerates and you lose intellectual and social abilities. The conditions have mostly different risk factors.

  1. Similar Risk

    • A family history of these diseases is a common risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.

    Diabetes Type 1

    • Known risk factors for type 1 diabetes include a genetic predisposition and living far from the equator. Possible risk factors include low vitamin D levels and exposure to viruses such as mumps.

    Diabetes Type 2

    • Risks of type 2 diabetes include being overweight, inactive, over 45, having had gestational diabetes and a family history of the disease. African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and Asian Americans are at higher risk.

    Heart Disease

    • Risks of heart disease include being obese, male, inactive, having diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, smoking, eating a diet of foods high in fat, salt and cholesterol and living with high stress.

    Alzheimer's

    • Alzheimer's risks include being older than 65, female, and having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poorly controlled diabetes and mild cognitive impairment.

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