Do you know your risk factors for Diabetes?

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There are a number of key risk factors to know, for instance did you know the occurrence of diabetes increased significantly with age?

Read below and learn the main risk factors:

1. Are you overweight or obese?

In fact, obesity is believed to account for 80-85% of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while recent research suggests that obese people are up to 80 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with a BMI of less than 22.

risk factors for Diabetes
2. Do you have a family history of diabetes?

Family history of type 2 diabetes is recognized as an important risk factor of the disease according to multiple studies.  Individuals who have a family history of diabetes can have two to six times the risk of type 2 diabetes compared with individuals with no family history of the disease.

3. Did you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy?

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It is different from having known diabetes before pregnancy and then getting pregnant.

Gestational diabetes is generally diagnosed in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and usually goes away after the baby is born.

risk factors for Diabetes

Gestational diabetes can cause problems for the mother and baby, but treatment and regular check-ups mean most women have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

4. Are you Maori, Pacific or Indo-Asian ethnicity?

According to NZ virtual diabetes register Pacific peoples had a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes than all other ethnic groups, while those identifying as European/other had a significantly lower rate. People of Indo-Asian ethnicity are close to those observed in Pacific peoples.

Do you have cardiovascular (heart) disease?

Having diabetes increases your risk of heart attack or stroke. Learn more about the link between diabetes and your heart.

Diabetes can cause more inflammation in your arteries and speeds up the process of atherosclerosis, where your arteries get stiffer and narrower, increasing your risk of heart attack or stroke.

People with diabetes are two – four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, than people who don’t have diabetes.

risk factors for Diabetes

5. Some long-term drugs can increase your risk, ask your Doctor if you are on long-term steroid or antipsychotic treatment

If you have any of these risk factors, book in for a pre-diabetes screen with your doctor.

Take a look at some of the questions other people have had about managing diabetes, and see if any may be helpful for you to ask your health professional:

  • What options do I have for managing my diabetes?
  • What’s involved in becoming smokefree/ making healthier food choices/ taking more exercise/ reaching a healthy weight/ managing my stress?
  • Which of these options to manage my diabetes will most benefit me?
  • What’s involved with taking medications for diabetes?
  • Where can I get support?
  • How will my doctor/ nurse/ other health professional support my health and my family?

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