As of 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 38.4 million Americans (about 11.6% of the U.S. population) had diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of serious health problems like nerve damage, blindness, kidney failure and heart disease.

These are some of the most common risk factors for diabetes and how to manage them.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that impacts how the body uses blood sugar (known as glucose). Glucose is vitally important to your health — it’s a major source of energy for cells that make up muscles and tissues. When there is excess glucose in the blood, it can lead to serious health problems.

There are two types of chronic diabetes:

  • Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks or destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leaving the body with little or no insulin and causing glucose buildup in the bloodstream.
  • Type 2 diabetes occurs when you have regularly high blood sugar levels because your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or body doesn’t use it properly, or both

Reversible diabetes include:

  • Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and may resolve after delivery, though it increases the risk of developing diabetes later.
  • Prediabetes is a warning sign and occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.

Understand the risk factors

Risk factors vary slightly by diabetes type and include:

Type 1 risk factors:

  • Family history: Your risk increases if a sibling or parent has Type 1 diabetes
  • Environmental factors (like exposure to viral illness)
  • The presence of autoantibodies (damaging immune system cells)

Type 2 and prediabetes risk factors:

  • Weight (the more fatty tissue in your body, the more resistant cells can become to insulin)
  • Inactivity
  • Family history
  • Race or ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Asian people are at higher risk)
  • High blood pressure
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome is a risk factor for women.Abnormal cholesterol (HDL) and triglyceride levels
  • Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes risk factors:

  • Women who are over the age of 25
  • Family history
  • Personal history of gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy
  • Weight
  • Race or ethnicity (women who are Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian are more likely to develop gestational diabetes)

Managing long-term health

Staying connected with your Centivo Care provider helps manage diabetes risk factors. If you’re at high risk, they can guide healthier choices for diet and exercise and recommend screenings like a fasting blood glucose test.

If you’re diabetic or have prediabetes, your provider will support your medication, provide diet and exercise advice and order necessary lab work to manage your condition.