Type 2 Diabetes – What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?

Although there are two different types of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes counts for an overwhelming majority of the cases: 90 to 95%. And recently, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes has been on the rise around the world, and especially in the United States. In 1997 only 5 states had Type 2 rates of 6% or more. Just ten years later in 2007, the figures had risen: 47 states had a prevalence rate of 6% or more, and in 8 states over 10% of the population had been diagnosed with this disease. With the prevalence of diabetes rising so rapidly, you can see why it is important to get to the root of the problem, and learn what is causing it.

What Causes Diabetes And Who Can Get It?

The biggest problem with determining the exact cause of diabetes, is that anyone can get it. This make it difficult to lay the blame on a single cause. So instead, researchers focus on looking at the risk factors that make developing Type 2 much more likely. Part of the problem lies in genetics, based on ethnicity or family history.

Sadly, most of the risk factors are associated with the lifestyle choices that many people make. Poor lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol abuse, a lack of physical activity, poor food choices, and obesity all make the development of Type 2 much more likely. The tragic part of this diabetes epidemic is that most of these risk factors could be prevented by making smarter decisions about your lifestyle.

What Happens With Type 2 Diabetes?

This form of diabetes most commonly occurs in people who meet one or more of the risk factors. The unfortunate truth is that day in and day out they are making decisions that harm their body and will potentially lead to a number of problems. Diabetes is just one of many problems that can result from obesity, smoking or any of the other risk factors. When people make these poor choices they place a great deal of stress on the body, which makes it more difficult for the body to carry out its regular functions normally.

One of the functions that is negatively affected by these choices is the body’s ability to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Normally, the body is capable of keeping blood sugar levels regular on its own, but in a diabetic the body cannot lower the blood sugar without help. In Type 2, your body no longer responds properly to insulin, the hormone responsible for lowering blood sugar. Your body has to produce more and more insulin to lower the blood sugar level, but eventually it can’t keep up. At this point, you may be diagnosed with prediabetes or even full-blown Type 2. Generic viagra Canada

Prediabetes is defined as having a fasting blood sugar reading of 100 to 125mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9mmol/L). This is not quite high enough to give a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, but it mean you are on your way unless you intervene now.

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