Causes Of Type 2 Diabetes

There are several components that work together to cause type 2 diabetes. Your genetic makeup determines how quickly your body responds to these triggers. If anyone in your family tree had diabetes, the odds are that it will not take all that much for you to develop type 2 diabetes. Knowing this can help you take steps now to avoid a diabetic condition.

Fortunately, we live in a time when there is a lot of information about what causes diabetes and how diabetes effects the body. Research has come up with many answers as to what environmental factors and choices lead to the development of diabetes in those most susceptible. Let's take a look at some of the information currentlyavailable on the environmental factors of type 2 diabetes.

1. Sedentary lifestyle: If you want type 2 diabetes, start by doing nothing. Studies show that a lack of consistent exercise and the development of diabetes go hand and hand. Likewise, it stands to reason that if you already have type 2 diabetes, consistent exercise is one of the best ways of halting the diabetic process.

2. Waistline: Closely related to how consistently you exercise is your waistline circumference. Sometimes this is referred to as visceral fat, which is just a fancy term for how much fat you have around your midsection. As a quick shortcut indicator of obesity, you can use the Body Mass Index (BMI). Your BMI gives a general view of the relationship between your weight and your height. Visceral fat describes more specifically how fat you are around the middle, which is more closely related to your chances of developing type 2 diabetes than your BMI. Essentially all you need to know is that if you are fat, you run a much higher risk of developing diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, losing weight can have a dramatic impact on your ability to control it.

3. Diet Fiber: You need dietary fiber in your diet to moderate the digestion and absorption of complex carbohydrates. This doesn't mean putting a teaspoon of fiber in water and drinking it. Fiber should be present in most of the foods you eat. Meats and animal products have no fiber. So yes, you better eat your fruits and vegetables and throw in some nuts and whole grains. These are all generally high in fiber. If you already have diabetes, this becomes crucial to controlling it.