You've probably wondered how you developed diabetes. You may worry that your children will develop it too.
Unlike some traits, diabetes does not seem to be inherited in a simple pattern. Yet clearly, some people are born more likely to develop diabetes than others.
Type 1 andtype 2 diabeteshave different causes. Yet two factors are important in both. You inherit a predisposition to the disease, then something in your environment triggers it.
Genes alone are not enough. One proof of this is identical twins. Identical twins have identical genes. Yet when one twin hastype 1 diabetes, the other gets the disease at most only half the time. When one twin has type 2 diabetes, the other's risk is at most 3 in 4.
In most cases of type 1 diabetes, people need to inherit risk factors from both parents. We think these factors must be more common in whites because whites have the highest rate of type 1 diabetes.
Because most people who are at risk do not get diabetes, researchers want to find out what the environmental triggers are. One trigger might be related to cold weather. Type 1 diabetes develops more often in winter than summer and is more common in places with cold climates. Another trigger might be viruses. Perhaps a virus that has only mild effects on most people triggers type 1 diabetes in others.
Early diet may also play a role. Type 1 diabetes is less common in people who were breastfed and in those who first ate solid foods at laterages.
In many people, the development of type 1 diabetes seems to take many years. In experiments that followed relatives of people with type 1 diabetes, researchers found that most of those who later got diabetes had certain autoantibodies in their blood for years before. (Antibodies are proteins that destroy bacteria or viruses. Autoantibodies areantibodies'gone bad' that attack the body's own tissues.)
If you are a man with type 1 diabetes, the odds of your child developing diabetes are 1 in 17. If you are a woman with type 1 diabetes and your child was born before you were 25, your child's risk is 1 in 25; if your child was born after you turned 25, your child's risk is 1 in 100.
Your child's risk is doubled if you developed diabetes before age 11. If both you and your partner have type 1 diabetes, the risk is between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4.
There is an exception to these numbers. About 1 in every 7 people with type 1 diabetes has a condition called type 2 polyglandular autoimmune syndrome. In addition to having diabetes, these people also have thyroid disease and a poorly working adrenalgland. Some also have otherimmune systemdisorders. If you have this syndrome, your child's risk of getting the syndromeincluding type 1 diabetesis 1 in 2.
Researchers are learning how to predict a person's odds of getting diabetes. For example, most whites with type 1 diabetes have genes called HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR4. If you and your child are white and share these genes, your child's risk is higher. (Suspect genes in other ethnic groups are less well studied. The HLA-DR7 gene may put African Americans at risk, and the HLA-DR9 gene may put Japanese at risk.)
Other tests can also make your child's risk clearer. A special test that tells how the body responds toglucosecan tell which school-aged children are most at risk.
Another more expensive test can be done for children who have siblings with type 1 diabetes. This test measures antibodies toinsulin, to islet cells in thepancreas, or to anenzymecalled glutamic acid decarboxylase. High levels can indicate that a child has a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history and lineage than type 1, and studies of twins have shown that genetics play a very strong role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
Yet it also depends on environmental factors.Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes.Obesitytends to run in families, and families tend to have similar eating and exercise habits.
If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, it may be difficult to figure out whether your diabetes is due to lifestyle factors or genetic susceptibility. Most likely it is due to both. However, dont lose heart. Studies show that it is possible to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes by exercising and losing weight.
Have you recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?Join our free Living With Type 2 Diabetes program and get the information and support you need to live well with diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes runs in families. In part, this tendency is due to children learning bad habitseating a poor diet, not exercisingfrom their parents. But there is also a genetic basis.
If you would like to learn more about the genetics of all forms of diabetes, the National Institutes of Health has publishedThe Genetic Landscape of Diabetes. This free online book provides an overview of the current knowledge about the genetics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well other less common forms of diabetes. The book is written for healthcare professionals and for people with diabetes interested in learning more about the disease.
Continue reading here:
Genetics of Diabetes | ADA
- Mating Study Unlocks the Genetic Code of Attraction - Neuroscience News - March 18th, 2024
- Mindfulness in your DNA? Capacity to be present is partly a function of genetics, study finds - PsyPost - March 18th, 2024
- Genetic testing scam targets Medicare recipients, including those in Spokane - KXLY Spokane - March 18th, 2024
- Some people are genetically predisposed to gain weight. These 5 tips can help - CNN - March 18th, 2024
- SOPHiA GENETICS and The French Kidney Cancer Research Network (UroCCR) Publish Results from Multiyear ... - PR Newswire - March 18th, 2024
- Tissue samples show the deep genetic and cellular impacts of smoking - Medical Xpress - March 18th, 2024
- The regulatory landscape of chromatin accessibility - Nature.com - March 18th, 2024
- Genome assemblies of 11 bamboo species highlight diversification induced by dynamic subgenome dominance - Nature.com - March 18th, 2024
- Research reveals the genetic code behind non-identical twins - Medical Xpress - March 18th, 2024
- How genetic therapies transformed the lives of sickle cell patients - KPVI News 6 - March 18th, 2024
- The Next Wave of Privacy Litigation: The Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act - Perkins Coie - March 18th, 2024
- State initiates study on genetic cancers, Lynch Syndrome - The Times of India - March 18th, 2024
- How genetic therapies transformed the lives of sickle cell patients - Citizentribune - March 18th, 2024
- Dr Plichta on Areas of Interest for Genetic Testing Research in Breast Cancer - OncLive - March 18th, 2024
- The Genetic History of the Jews Mosaic - Mosaic - March 18th, 2024
- New insights into genetic mechanisms could improve treatment of liver fibrosis - Medical Xpress - March 18th, 2024
- 5 Questions To Ask About The Ethics Of Genetic Data - Forbes - March 18th, 2024
- Couple raising money to fix sons club feet caused by rare genetic condition - 21 Alive News - February 18th, 2024
- What can bulls tell us about men? Genetic discovery could translate to human fertility research - Medical Xpress - February 18th, 2024
- Legislation seeks to bar life insurance companies from purchasing recreational genetic testing data - Delaware First Media - February 18th, 2024
- Family-based study identifies potential new genetic factors linked to Alzheimer's risk in people with African ancestry - National Institute on Aging - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic determinants of micronucleus formation in vivo - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Near-gapless and haplotype-resolved apple genomes provide insights into the genetic basis of rootstock-induced ... - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Accurate and sensitive mutational signature analysis with MuSiCal - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- CRISPR, the Genetic Revolution of the 21st Century | OpenMind - BBVA OpenMind - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic control of thermomorphogenesis in tomato inflorescences - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Natural selection and genetic diversity maintenance in a parasitic wasp during continuous biological control application - Nature.com - February 18th, 2024
- Understanding how natural genetic variation contributes to adaptive responses to low oxygen - News-Medical.Net - February 18th, 2024
- Division of Epidemiology and Genetics - Epidemiology and Genetics - University of Southern California - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic study clarifies the link between birth weight and adult morbidity - Medical Xpress - February 18th, 2024
- AI and genetics underpin project to speed up CVD diagnosis and personalise treatment - Hospital Healthcare - February 18th, 2024
- Study Reveals Complex Interaction Between Genetics and Environment in Brain Functioning - Medriva - February 18th, 2024
- Unraveling the Impact of Genetics and Socioeconomic Status on Behavioral and Psychiatric Traits - Medriva - February 18th, 2024
- Genetic Investigation Reveals CETP Gene Variants Linked to Cardiovascular Resilience in Genome-Wide Association ... - Physician's Weekly - December 30th, 2023
- Raha Kapoor's blue eyes remind fans of her great-grandfather, Raj Kapoor; here's what genetics says - IndiaTimes - December 30th, 2023
- Genetic clue to pericarditis inflammation points to promising new treatments - News-Medical.Net - December 30th, 2023
- Certain genetic predispositions may increase risk of atrial fibrillation among those with high alcohol consumption - 2 Minute Medicine - December 30th, 2023
- Understanding the genetic basis of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer - News-Medical.Net - December 30th, 2023
- Genetic engineering was meant to save chestnut trees. Then there was a mistake. - The Washington Post - December 30th, 2023
- Unraveling the mystery of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer - EurekAlert - December 30th, 2023
- What is Genetics? | AMNH - American Museum of Natural History - December 22nd, 2023
- Who killed Shelley Connolly? Genetic genealogy leads authorities to a suspect and a conviction - Alaska's News Source - December 22nd, 2023
- C.S. Lewis, Atheism, and the Genetic Fallacy - Word on Fire - December 22nd, 2023
- FDA approves first genetic test to assess opioid addiction risk using DNA sample - Fox News - December 22nd, 2023
- Genetic blueprint of wild grapes could help breed better grapes - University of California, Davis - December 22nd, 2023
- Unlocking the genetic secrets of grape seedlessness - Phys.org - December 22nd, 2023
- Unlocking the genetic secrets of drought resilience in Persian walnuts - Phys.org - December 22nd, 2023
- FDA approves genetic test to assess patients risk of developing an opioid addiction - KXAN.com - December 22nd, 2023
- How researchers are CReATiNG synthetic chromosomes faster and cheaper - EurekAlert - December 22nd, 2023
- The promise of genetic therapies in sickle cell disease - The Lancet - December 22nd, 2023
- Assessment of genetic diversity, population structure and wolf-dog hybridisation in the Eastern Romanian Carpathian ... - Nature.com - December 22nd, 2023
- Genetics and Heart Disease: What you need to know - IndiaTimes - December 22nd, 2023
- How to become a geneticist - University of Sydney - December 22nd, 2023
- Study sheds light on the ancestry and genetics of Coast Salish woolly dogs | News | Vancouver Island University ... - Vancouver Island University News - December 22nd, 2023
- Human genetics | Description, Chromosomes, & Inheritance - December 13th, 2023
- BASIC GENETICS INFORMATION - Understanding Genetics - NCBI Bookshelf - December 13th, 2023
- Introduction to Genetics - Open Textbook Library - December 13th, 2023
- Clues to preventing Alzheimer's come from patient who, despite genetics, evaded disease Washington University ... - Washington University School of... - December 13th, 2023
- Environmental stress rather than genetics influenced height differences in early Neolithic people: Study - Phys.org - December 13th, 2023
- What is trisomy 18? Why the fatal genetic disorder is in the news and what it's like to get the diagnosis. - Yahoo Life - December 13th, 2023
- Spanish scientists identify the molecular mechanisms controlling the genes involved in proper formation of the heart ... - EurekAlert - December 13th, 2023
- GENEFIT, the First-Ever Fitness Technology to Integrate Personal Genetics with Wearable Tracker Data, Launches to ... - Fitt Insider - December 13th, 2023
- Genetic 'protection' against depression was no match for pandemic stress, finds study of first-year college students - Medical Xpress - December 13th, 2023
- Origin and evolution of the triploid cultivated banana genome - Nature.com - December 13th, 2023
- CellCharter reveals spatial cell niches associated with tissue remodeling and cell plasticity - Nature.com - December 13th, 2023
- How do we get our eye color? A genetics expert reveals the fascinating truth - Fox News - December 13th, 2023
- WVU Today | WVU scientists spice up genetic research through habanero peppers and AI - WVU Today - December 13th, 2023
- Genetic mutations that promote reproduction tend to shorten human lifespan, study shows - Phys.org - December 13th, 2023
- Stanford Scientists Discover Common Genetic Factor That Fends Off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's - SciTechDaily - December 13th, 2023
- Association of genetic risk and lifestyle with pancreatic cancer and their age dependency: a large prospective cohort ... - BMC Medicine - December 13th, 2023
- New bill would block American genetic data from access by companies tied to foreign adversaries - Homeland Preparedness News - December 13th, 2023
- Electric Eels Shocking Ability To Alter The Genetics Of Nearby Animals - Forbes - December 13th, 2023
- "When them genetics kick in its all over" - NBA fans send in rib-tickling reactions as LeBron James attends Zhuri James' volleyball game -... - October 16th, 2023
- David Liu, chemist: We now have the technology to correct misspellings in our DNA that cause known genetic diseases - EL PAS USA - April 7th, 2023
- World Health Day 2023: Understanding the science of Epi-genetics and how to apply it in our daily lives - Free Press Journal - April 7th, 2023
- Genetics - National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) - March 29th, 2023
- GENETICS 101 - Understanding Genetics - NCBI Bookshelf - March 29th, 2023
- People always think Im skinny because of good genetics theyre shocked when they see what I used to lo... - The US Sun - March 29th, 2023
- Forensics expert explains 'genetic genealogy' process believed to be used in Kohberger's arrest - KTVB.com - January 6th, 2023
- Idaho student murders: What is genetic genealogy, a tool reportedly used to help capture the suspect? - FOX 10 News Phoenix - January 6th, 2023