Is Diabetes Genetic?

[easysurfer]

So, is diabetes genetic? Or is diabetes a result from being overweight?

Just got back a lab test from an annual checkup yesterday. The bad is that i'm in the pre-diabetic range. The good is my doc said, no meds needed but to keep exercising like I do now to keep under control.

Back to the original question. Do some overweight folks don't get diabetes because this isn't in their genes? Of if you are overweight, you'd probably become diabetic?

 

[exnavynuke]

There can be a genetic component to diabetes (people with diabetic family history are more likely to develop diabetes) but many people get diabetes without any family history of it.

I was diagnosed over 10 years ago with zero family history of diabetes. At the time I was 5' 9" tall and weighed 155 lbs and was active duty military (Navy). Being overweight is a common indicator of being at-risk for diabetes, but like with all medical conditions, some people will be at risk and never get the condition while others who had none of the common risk factors will still get it.

Diet and exercise are the primary methods to minimize the impact of pre-diabetes to attempt to avoid becoming diabetic.

 

[easysurfer]

There can be a genetic component to diabetes (people with diabetic family history are more likely to develop diabetes) but many people get diabetes without any family history of it.

I was diagnosed over 10 years ago with zero family history of diabetes. At the time I was 5' 9" tall and weighed 155 lbs and was active duty military (Navy). Being overweight is a common indicator of being at-risk for diabetes, but like with all medical conditions, some people will be at risk and never get the condition while others who had none of the common risk factors will still get it.

Diet and exercise are the primary methods to minimize the impact of pre-diabetes to attempt to avoid becoming diabetic.

Thanks for the info. This definitely makes sense in my situation as I have several relatives that have/had diabetes and that seemed more common as they put on the weight. In fact, the main reason why my doc is doing the pre-screening is because of the family history.

 

[haha]

So, is diabetes genetic? Or is diabetes a result from being overweight?

Just got back a lab test from an annual checkup yesterday. The bad is that i'm in the pre-diabetic range. The good is my doc said, no med needed but to keep exercising like I do now to keep under control.

Back to the original question. Do some overweight folks don't get diabetes because this isn't in their genes? Of if you are overweight, you'd probably become diabetic?

I am one of 4 children. All are diabetic but me, and I am "pre-diabetic", which is really pretty similar. My father had diabetes. We all know fat people who do not get diabetes, and lean people who do.

Take care of yourself and you will be fine. My Dad lived 50 years with diabetes and died an old man.

Ha

 

[burch64]

I think it is in the genes, my spouse and her sister have type 1 diabetes. Neither parent has diabetes.

 

[Bamaman]

My grandmother died of untreated diabetes when she was 66 years old. Her niece was type I and died relatively young.
My uncle was originally type II and didn't take care of himself. He ended up on dialysis and died at 78 years old when he threw a clot.
His daughter (my cousin) was type II and she too was untreated. She's 60 years old, looks 85 and can barely walk. She's also on dialysis and is not expected to live long.
My father was type II and he did take care of himself. But his kidneys played out in his early 80's and he too ended on dialysis. And a clot got him 4 years after starting dialysis.
I'm also type II, and I chose to go on insulin to be more stable. I now am on an insulin pump and doing okay. I'm eating well--except for a little ice cream. The pump allows me to eat more normal, but I still need to curtail carbs. somewhat.

Yes, diabetes is hereditary--but not in all cases. And many that are overweight could benefit greatly with a 10% loss of weight. But in all cases, it's the kidneys that most should be concerned with.

 

[ERD50]

... We all know fat people who do not get diabetes, and lean people who do. ...
Ha

No doubt. But maybe the apparent perception that ties being overweight to diabetes is, if you do have diabetes, and control other factors as much as you can (including weight), you may still do well, and appear to be well. So people may not even be aware that you have diabetes, or not think much of it, since it is controlled.

But if you have diabetes, and are overweight (and therefore likely not being careful in other ways), the diabetes affects you more, and people see this, and make the connection between overweight and diabetes.

I don't really know much about it (my glucose levels run pretty normal, 90's), but this is just about perceptions anyway, so maybe just as well for understanding perceptions.

-ERD50

 

[MRG]

Like said it's kinda sorta both.

I remember you changing your diet with great success. Keep it up!

 

[ABQ2015]

I used to think Type 2 diabetes was a disease primarily limited to the obese but have changed my mind after meeting so many people of somewhat normal weight who develop it as they age. I'm friends with one family where the 4 siblings have all developed Type 2 diabetes starting in their 50's. None are particularly heavy, maybe overweight at one time but not obese. But even when they have lost weight, the diabetes does not go away and it tends to get worse as they get into their 60's and they generally have to transition from pills to insulin shots. The oldest sibling is a 70 year old woman and she has fared best at borderline diabetes (e.g., 120's) but she jogs several miles a day. Their dad and his brother also developed diabetes later in life.

Another friend became pre-diabetic in her 40's after gaining 15 pounds but she was at most slightly overweight. She is Native American and her mother was diabetic. I'm in my 60's and much heavier than any of them and my fasting blood glucose is in the low 90's.

 

[38Chevy454]

Like said it's kinda sorta both.

I'm not a doctor, but am a pretty good observer and came to this same conclusion. Certainly lifestyle choices and age have an effect and can make Type 2 a much more likely outcome. Then there are normal weight and generally active folks who become Type 1 or 2 at younger age. Seems to me the latter is evidence of a genetic component, and the former is evidence of a lifestyle choice.

The good thing is if you take it seriously, whether Type 1 or 2, you can live long and minimize the bad effects from diabetes. We all know examples of people that do not take it serious and follow recommended actions, with bad results and complications from the diabetes.

 

[eytonxav]

I became type 2 at 59, but was pre-diabetic for years, no family history. In my case, I ate poorly and didn't exercise despite my Dr's warnings to take preventive action. I imagine some people are predisposed to become diabetic due to genetic factors, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, environmental or combinations of these causes, but not sure there is anyway to know with certainty the specific cause(s). Since being diagnosed, thru exercise and nutrition, I have stayed in the pre-diabetic range for 8 years.

Just know, if you are pre-diabetic, with exercise and good nutrition, you can probably stay away from ever becoming diabetic.

 

[Amethyst]

Despite being ideal weight, very active, and increasingly fussy about what I eat, my fasting blood sugar has risen steadily from 85 to 94 over the past few years I've been getting yearly blood tests (before then, I only got tested every few years and it was always around 85).

Two older siblings are obese diabetics. They've been predicting my eventual T2-ness for many years ("it's hereditary") and I guess they're finally being proven right, since 94 is basically pre-diabetic although my Dr. does not see it that way and doesn't want me on any medications.

 

[exnavynuke]

Despite being ideal weight, very active, and increasingly fussy about what I eat, my fasting blood sugar has risen steadily from 85 to 94 over the past few years I've been getting yearly blood tests (before then, I only got tested every few years and it was always around 85).

Two older siblings are obese diabetics. They've been predicting my eventual T2-ness for many years ("it's hereditary") and I guess they're finally being proven right, since 94 is basically pre-diabetic although my Dr. does not see it that way and doesn't want me on any medications.

Normal fasting glucose is 70-100. 94 is still in the normal range, and thus not pre-diabetic which is defined as over 100 to 125 (per standard definitions from the American Diabetes Association, etc).

 

[harley]

since 94 is basically pre-diabetic although my Dr. does not see it that way and doesn't want me on any medications.

That's sort of like saying being right in the middle of your ideal weight range is overweight because you gained a couple of pounds. You're nowhere near pre-diabetic, you're what is euphemistically called "normal". And taking meds before you need them is a really bad idea. It's not like these things are good for you. They have numerous side effects.

I've noticed in a number of your posts that you seem excessively worried about blood sugar levels. I would recommend letting that go until it becomes a problem. Even if you (or anyone) does make it into the pre-diabetic range, living the rest of your life with slightly elevated blood sugar isn't a health issue, it's just a heads up to make a couple of changes and not go up much further.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Despite being ideal weight, very active, and increasingly fussy about what I eat, my fasting blood sugar has risen steadily from 85 to 94 over the past few years I've been getting yearly blood tests (before then, I only got tested every few years and it was always around 85).

Two older siblings are obese diabetics. They've been predicting my eventual T2-ness for many years ("it's hereditary") and I guess they're finally being proven right, since 94 is basically pre-diabetic although my Dr. does not see it that way and doesn't want me on any medications.

I would be ecstatic with a blood glucose level of 94. Your doctor is right not to prescribe medication with potential side effect for a blood sugar level in the normal range.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes three years ago with zero family history. I was on oral medication (metformin) for 6 months and I'm glad I'm off of it now as I managed to control it with diet and excercise. A better test for diabetes is the A1C which measures the glucose level over a three months period rather than on one given day.

My doctor's would like to see my A1C in the 5.8- 6.2 range and will not prescribe any medication until it goes above 6.5 which is equivalent to 140 fasting blood glucose level.

 

[Meadbh]

For those of you interested enough to read some science:

http://www.who.int/genomics/about/Diabetis-fin.pdf

 

[Amethyst]

I've gotten a little worried since a) I already do everything a person can do to keep blood sugar down - but it's gradually rising anyway, b) siblings have told me I am "bound to get it eventually," and c) others on the forum, who are not yet diabetic, speak of the need to constantly monitor their reactions to everything they eat.

But perhaps my worrying is just the downside of my small, usually benign vein of OCD which also helps me be consistent about monitoring spending, exercising, making sure doors are locked, etc.

I've noticed in a number of your posts that you seem excessively worried about blood sugar levels. I would recommend letting that go until it becomes a problem. Even if you (or anyone) does make it into the pre-diabetic range, living the rest of your life with slightly elevated blood sugar isn't a health issue, it's just a heads up to make a couple of changes and not go up much further.

 

[Meadbh]

I've gotten a little worried since a) I already do everything a person can do to keep blood sugar down - but it's gradually rising anyway, b) siblings have told me I am "bound to get it eventually," and c) others on the forum, who are not yet diabetic, speak of the need to constantly monitor their reactions to everything they eat.

But perhaps my worrying is just the downside of my small, usually benign vein of OCD which also helps me be consistent about monitoring spending, exercising, making sure doors are locked, etc.

Amethyst, clearly you are living a healthy life. If it's going to happen, it will happen. Therefore there is no point in worrying about it. May I respectfully suggest just living life to the full?

 

[easysurfer]

I would be ecstatic with a blood glucose level of 94. Your doctor is right not to prescribe medication with potential side effect for a blood sugar level in the normal range.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes three years ago with zero family history. I was on oral medication (metformin) for 6 months and I'm glad I'm off of it now as I managed to control it with diet and excercise. A better test for diabetes is the A1C which measures the glucose level over a three months period rather than on one given day.

My doctor's would like to see my A1C in the 5.8- 6.2 range and will not prescribe any medication until it goes above 6.5 which is equivalent to 140 fasting blood glucose level.

My recent test showed a blood glucose level of 95 which is still considered normal. But my A1C test showed a 6.1 range, thus the pre-diabetes.

 

[Elbata]

Ray Kurzweil's father died of heart disease in his 40s. Ray himself developed diabetes in adulthood. He did the standard protocol and did not get any better. He, on his own, did research and cured himself of diabetes.

He wrote a book about it called the 10% solution. https://www.amazon.com/10%-Solution...6983221&sr=8-1&keywords=10%+solution+kurzweil

I'm guessing the book is over 20 years old, though when I see Mr Kurzweil on TV he still looks fit and trim.

A newer book by Dr Barnard discusses what actually causes diabetes. It's rather simple, but just not ever talked about. https://www.amazon.com/Neal-Barnard...6983270&sr=8-1&keywords=neil+barnard+diabetes

 

[harley]

For those of you interested enough to read some science:

http://www.who.int/genomics/about/Diabetis-fin.pdf

Thanks, Meadbh, that's [-]incredibly difficult[/-] [-]boring[/-] fascinating reading.

Seriously, there's a lot of interesting information in that article. I have one minor quibble with one of their conclusions.

Unlike T1D, T2D can generally be prevented by maintaining an age-appropriate body weight and engaging in physical activity. Although public health messages that emphasize a nutritious diet and regular physical activity are now commonplace, they have not been effective in terms of disease prevention. Given the recent obesity epidemic, it is obvious that current intervention strategies are being ignored by a majority of individuals in the general population.

I don't think the intervention strategies are necessarily being ignored. I think it's a lot more difficult to manage weight that science gives credit for. Especially when so much of the nutritional information that that science/government has given over the last 30-40 years was pretty much bass-ackwards.

The possibilities for genetic testing for diabetic predisposition is interesting. I'm sure they'll make progress on that in the near future. And just the fact that they can do that answers the OP. Yes, Diabetes is genetic. And Environmental.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes in April, at the ripe old age of 43. My Dad and his Dad both have/had it. I'm also overweight, and don't exercise as much as I should. For me, it progressed very quickly. I went from a fasting blood glucose of 89-91, to well over 250 in one year.

I'm on a 500mg dose of Metformin twice per day, and in 6 months my A1c has gone from 10.8 down to 5.9. Hopefully it'll improve further at my next checkup, but the doctor is satisfied with it at 5.9.

I don't enjoy taking the meds, but my doctor has told me that he'd prefer to see me stay on them. They're obviously working, so I'll stick with the program, and hope that my numbers continue to look good.

The doctor did tell me that it's likely genetic in my case. In the next breath, he told me to work on losing weight, so it's probably a combination of factors (at least in my case).

 

[Helen]

My BMI is 19, I eat a mostly plant based diet (some wild caught salmon and locally sourced eggs) and exercise a lot. I just got my lab tests back and my A1C is 5.6 - .1 away from pre-diabetic.


My brother has a healthy weight and is a couple of years older than I am. He is in the diabetic range. He gets his eyes checked regularly and the doctor says there is no sign of diabetes.


In our case the cause seems to be in our genes.

 

[eytonxav]

There was something mentioned on the news the other day about taking a 10 minute walk immediately after eating to lower your post meal blood sugar. I found a link to an article on this strategy:
A 10-minute walk after every meal 'effective at controlling diabetes' - Health News - NHS Choices

 

[harley]

There was something mentioned on the news the other day about taking a 10 minute walk immediately after eating to lower your post meal blood sugar. I found a link to an article on this strategy:
A 10-minute walk after every meal 'effective at controlling diabetes' - Health News - NHS Choices

Quite interesting. I may give this a try. The results indicated a 12% improvement in BGL, which is actually significant. At least in my case. And 22% after the big meal of the day (usually dinner). Those types of numbers would knock me from diabetic to pre-diabetic. I'll give it a try for a month or so with testing and see how it works. Thanks for the post.