What Are Some Prevalent (and Preventable) Causes of Diabetes?

First, there are three main types of diabetes—type 1, type 2, and gestational. Now there is no one single factor that determines if you'll get any of these three types of diabetes. Multiple variables can affect blood sugar levels and lead to the development of the disease. Many unavoidable variables such as age, ethnicity, and family history are major factors yet many changeable lifestyle variables can significantly increase your risk.

Obesity

While the number on the scale doesn’t determine whether someone will develop diabetes, it is clear that higher levels of body fat increase insulin resistance, raising your risk for type 2 and gestational diabetes.

Lack of Exercise

Sitting all day at a desk job makes your cells less sensitive to insulin, which leads to insulin resistance and increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

High-Sugar Diet

It stands to reason that if high blood sugar is at the heart of the disease, adding more from your diet isn’t going to help matters. Not surprisingly, research shows that sugar-sweetened drinks like soda and fruit juice are linked with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

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