Type 2 Diabetes - Major Risk Factors To Watch Out For!

In this day and age, Type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed more than ever. Type 2 diabetes... one of the biggest epidemics of our time... currently afflicts well over 18 million Americans. And even more Americans have a condition known as prediabetes. Actually, the diabetes epidemic is not unique to the United States, it is rampant around the world.

Always thought of as an adult-onset disease, because it typically occurred in middle-age and older adults. This is no longer the case, as many children and adolescents who are sedentary and overweight are also developing this disorder.

There is no question our diets and lack of exercise play a major role in the development of this disease. One of the key factors to having a chance at reversing the condition is realizing the symptoms as soon as they appear.

Here are some of the major risk factors for Type 2 diabetes:

45 years of age or older: As you get older, the likelihood of developing diabetes rises. Approximately one out of five people age 65 and over have diabetes.

Overweight (BMI greater than 25): More than 80 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight. The more overweight you are, the higher your risk.

Waist circumference greater than 40 inches (male) or 35 inches (female): Excess fat carried around the stomach is especially linked to insulin resistance and diabetes risk.

Parent or sibling with diabetes: Having a family history of diabetes raises your risk. The closer the relative, the higher your risk factor.

Ethnic background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Latino: These ethnic groups are 2 to 2½ times more likely to develop diabetes than Caucasians.

Previously had gestational diabetes, or gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds: Gestational diabetes sometimes occurs during the late stages of pregnancy. It typically goes away after the baby is born, but increases the risk for diabetes in the future.

HDL "good" cholesterol is 35 or lower; or triglyceride level is 150 or higher: Low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides are both signs you may not r to your own insulin normally (a condition known as insulin resistance).

Blood pressure is 140/90 or higher: High blood pressure is often associated with insulin resistance, which underlies most cases of Type 2 diabetes.

Exercise less than three times a week: Being sedentary impairs the body's cells ability to remove sugar from your blood.

Most people who have prediabetes don't know it. But the damage occurring inside their body is considerable, and left unchecked, prediabetes usually develops into full-blown Type 2 diabetes. If it turns out that you have prediabetes, you should begin taking action right away to reverse the process.

Of course, there are many other symptoms that can be associated with diabetes including:

fatigue,frequent urination and thirst,blurred vision,slow healing of skin, gum and urinary infections,genital itching,numbness in the feet or legs,heart disease,obesity.

There are a variety of reasons why these symptoms appear. The main thing to understand is that if you're having any of these symptoms, you should be checked by a doctor to see if Type 2 diabetes is the cause. If it is, it's important to take immediate action by getting the disease under control and then working on lifestyle modifications to reverse it.