Type 2 diabetes can be a difficult disorder to live with. The pancreas stops using insulin correctly, making the body insulin-resistant. Initially, the pancreas makes more and more insulin to try to keep up with the demand, but as it loses the ability to continue making such extreme amounts, blood sugar levels are no longer kept in control.
While the exact cause of either type of diabetes is still unknown, researchers have narrowed down several specific reasons type 2 develops. Many people think of this more common form of diabetes as something that only affects older adults, but it has increasingly become a problem for children as obesity occurs among more and more young Americans. But obesity isn’t the only cause—genetics and other external factors play their role as well.
Lifestyle
Obesity is one of the largest contributors to type 2 diabetes, along with its counterparts, inactivity and poor diet. Experts suggest a link between people who carry their weight more prominently in the abdomen and a higher likelihood of developing the disease. High sugar intake isn’t necessarily a precursor for type 2, but eating and drinking excessive amounts of sugary substances do make it easier to achieve being overweight. Not eating a good variety of healthy foods means your body doesn’t get the array of vitamins and nutrients it needs to function at top capacity. People who are obese tend to be neither active nor eat a healthy, balanced diet, thus the three go hand in hand in their contribution to type 2 diabetes. Failing to move around and get the recommended amount of exercise also contributes to an overall less healthy system and insulin resistance, which eventually triggers type 2.
Genetics
While an unhealthy lifestyle is a major contributor, this is not to say that every overweight person will develop diabetes. Nor does it mean that slender, fit people won’t develop type 2 diabetes. Not only can heredity impact the likelihood of an individual becoming overweight, but researchers have found certain DNA affects insulin production. Some people may be born with an inherent likelihood to eventually develop type 2.
For example, the National Institute of Health states that having two copies of the TCF7L2 gene makes an individual 80% more likely to develop this type of diabetes. The increasing amount of cases of childhood obesity aren’t simply because these children aren’t eating and living healthy, but because this lack of a healthy lifestyle so early may trigger these latent genes more quickly.
DNA isn’t the only genetic contributor type 2 diabetes, either. Sometimes cells can get confused or misdirected, and when those signals are supposed to be directing blood sugar levels, problems result. Beta cells, specifically, can be damaged by high blood sugar, which creates a chain reaction and a vicious circle.
The liver can also play a very large role in the development of type 2 diabetes. A normal liver releases glucose when it is prompted by the glucagon produced by the pancreas in times of low blood sugar. Once sugar levels are normal, the liver quits doing that, and saves the rest of the glucose until the body needs it again. Some livers, however, don’t stop, which makes blood sugar levels stay high. The cause of diabetes type 2 varies from person to person, and can be a combination of problems. It can, however, be controlled more easily when you keep your body healthier.
