What Causes Diabetes
The precise Etiology of most cases of diabetes is uncertain, although certain contributing factors are as follows :
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is autoimmune disease that affects 0.3% on average. It is result of distruction of beta cells due to aggresive nature of cells present in the body. Researchers belive thats some of the
Etiology and Risk factors which may trigger type 1 diabetes may be genetic, poor diet (malnutrition) and environment (virus affecting pancreas).
Secondly, in most of the cases diabetes occurs because there is abnormal secretion of some
hormones in blood which act as antagonists to insulin. Example- Adrenocortical hormone, Adrenaline hormone and Thyroid hormone.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes, is also called non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. It occurs when the body produces enough insulin but cannot utilize it effectively. This type of diabetes usually develops in middle age. A general observation says that about 90-95 % of people with suffering with diabetes are type 2; about 80 percent are
overweight. It is more common among people who are older; obese; have a family history of diabetes; have had gestational diabetes.
There are number of
risk factors found to be responsible for type 2 diabetes, the more the Etiology and Risk factors carried by an individual the higher the risk for developing the diabetes.
Following are the Causes of Diabetes
- Hereditary or Inherited Traits : It is strongly believed that is due to some genes which passes from one generation to another. It depends upon closeness of blood relationship as mother is diabetes risk is 2 to 3%, father is diabetic risk is more than the previous case and if both the parents are diabetic, it has much greater risk for diabetes.
- Age : Increased age is a factor which gives more possibility than in younger age. This disease may occur at any age, but 80% of cases occur after 50 year, incidences increase as age do in this group.
- Poor Diet (Malnutrition Related Diabetes) : Improper nutrition, low protein and fibre intake, high intake of refined products are the expected reasons for developing diabetes.
- Obesity and Fat Distribution : Being overweight means increased insulin resistance, that is if body fat is more than 30%, BMI 25+, waist grith 35 inches in women or 40 inches in males.
- Sedentary Lifestyle : People with sedentary lifestyle are more prone to diabetes, when compare to those who exercise thrice a week, are at lesser risk of falling prey to diabetes.
- Stress : Either physical injury or emotional disturbance is frequently blamed as the initial cause of the disease. Any disturbance in Cortiosteroid or ACTH therapy may lead to clinical signs of the diseases.
- Drug Induced: Clozapine (Clozaril), olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel) and ziprasidone (Geodon) are known to induce this lethal disease.
- Infection : Some of the strephylococci are suppose to be responsible factor for infection in pancreas.
- Sex : It is commonly seen in elderly especially males but strong evidence of developing diabetes in females with multiple pregnancy has been observed or in females suffering from (PCOS) Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
- Hypertension : It had been reported in many studies that there is direct relation between high systolic pressure and diabetes.
- Serum lipids and lipoproteins : High triglyceride and cholesterol level in the blood are related to high blood sugars, in some cases it had been studied that risk are involved even with low HDL levels in circulating blood.
