- Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, has very strong genetic links, and tends to run in families. Individuals who have a close relative who suffers from diabetes are at a higher risk of developing it themselves. Certain races also seem to be predisposed to this condition. People of Asian and Northern European descent are less susceptible to this condition than Hispanic Americans and African Americans.
- Clinical studies have found that a family of viruses called enteroviruses may trigger the development of diabetes, especially in children. The National Public Health Institute in Finland, for example (See Resources below), found that enterovirus infections could cause damage to beta-cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for producing insulin. Beta-cell damage is a typical characteristic of type 1 diabetes.
- Obesity is one of the major factors that cause diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. As a result of the extra amounts of body fat, tissue cells gradually become resistant to insulin, which in turn causes high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) and eventually causes diabetes. The Mayo Clinic lists excess fat, particularly abdominal fat, as well as inactivity as important causal factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
- Age is one of the most common factors that predispose an individual to diabetes. Risk of the condition increases significantly after age 45 and rises dramatically after age 65. This is usually because people get less active, gain weight and lose muscle mass, which can cause pancreatic dysfunction.
- According to the Mayo Clinic, health conditions that can cause diabetes include high blood pressure, high levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, as well as high levels of fats called triglycerides. The clinic reports that, in combination with obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood fats cause insulin resistance, which results in diabetes.
