Are you at risk?

You may be at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes if any of the following apply to you:

• Pre-diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a strong indicator that a person is at risk of getting diabetes. It is estimated that over 30% of people with pre-diabetes will progress to type 2 diabetes.

• A close family or another relative has type 2 diabetes

If a parent, brother or sister has type 2 diabetes, there is a much greater risk of developing the condition. There is also a risk (although slightly less than with an immediate family member) if a grandparent, aunt, uncle or first cousin has type 2 diabetes.

• Overweight

You are much more at risk of getting pre-diabetes and going on to develop type 2 diabetes if you are overweight. This may be measured by your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a calculation of the recommended weight range, based on your height and weight.

You may also be overweight if you are carrying too much weight around your waist at umbilical level rather than your hips. This can be measured using a tape measure: if your waist measures over 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women, you may be at greater risk of getting type 2 diabetes. If you are an Asian man, the measurement is 90cm or more.

Currently nearly two thirds of men and over half of women in the UK are overweight or obese (UK statistics, National Audit Office). Given that over 90% of type 2 diabetes is as a result of weight gain, many people are at risk of getting diabetes. Even so, the rising epidemic of diabetes could be stemmed through changes to a currently unhealthy lifestyle.

• Disturbances in the levels of fat in the blood (known as ‘dyslipidaemia’)

Cholesterol, a type of fat (also known as a lipid) is vital for the body to function properly; however a disturbed balance of fat in the blood (e.g. a cholesterol level of 5 mmol/l or more) can increase the likelihood of type 2 diabetes.

There are many different types of fat (also known as lipids) in the diet. Some of these are ‘good’ in that they lower the risk of getting certain diseases, and may be found in foods such as nuts, fish, seeds and avocado. Some fats are ‘bad’ because they increase the risk of disease, and are often found in fried and highly processed foods. Some fats, such as cholesterol, may be either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, depending on the type of cholesterol and its effect on the body.

Too small amounts of a ‘good’ fat, (e.g. HDL-cholesterol of 1 mmol/l or less) or too much of a ‘bad’ fat (e.g. triglycerides of 2 mmol/l or more or cholesterol of 5 mmol/l or more) are risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

• High blood pressure

Having high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Blood pressure measurements are taken when the heart is contracting (the systolic pressure) and resting (the diastolic pressure). You may be at higher risk of type 2 diabetes if your systolic pressure (the top number) is above 140 mmHg or the diastolic pressure (the bottom number) is above 90 mmHg.

• A lack of exercise

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle and don’t take a minimum of 30 minutes’ exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling at least five times a week, the body’s ability to use insulin to process glucose is impaired.

• Age

If you are over 45 years old, the risk increases as you get older.

• Ethnicity

People of South Asian, African, African-Caribbean and Middle Eastern descent have a higher than average risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Any previous abnormalities of blood glucose

If you have had a previous change in your blood glucose, such as gestational diabetes (diabetes occurring during pregnancy), you are at greater risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

• Giving birth to a large baby

A further risk factor is giving birth to a large baby (weighing more than 4 kg), which may put a woman at greater risk of getting diabetes.

Take just a minute of your time now to see if you may be at risk of getting pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes:

Might you be at risk of getting pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes?