Family History and Diabetes Risk in Youngsters

Studies indicate that children of parents with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes themselves. This may be partly attributable to developing poor eating and exercise habits themselves from their family members.

As additional risk factors for type 2 diabetes, being Hispanic/Latino, black or African American or having gestational diabetes (diabetes during gestation) increases one’s chances of it. All these factors increase risk.

Family History of Diabetes

Although many cases of type 2 diabetes in children can be traced to diet and lack of physical activity, some can also be linked to genes. Insulin resistance and abnormal insulin secretion both increase risk for type 2 diabetes.

And even after adjusting for traditional risk factors such as BMI and waist circumference, family history of diabetes was predictive of higher incidence. In addition, family history correlated with higher likelihood of contracting the disease and more frequent health-risk-lowering behaviour among subjects.

This study utilized data collected through a self-report questionnaire distributed as part of the HealthStyles 2004 mail survey. First-degree relatives who had diabetes were examined to rank respondents into three levels of familial risk for diabetes, using unweighted and weighted regression analyses, unweighted regression, mediation analysis, unweighted regression and unweighted regression to generate adjusted odds ratios respectively, while mediation analysis estimated direct effects as well as indirect ones through mediators such as depressive symptoms and metabolically healthy lifestyle choices.

Risk Factors

Being related to someone with type 2 diabetes increases one’s own risk, and gestational diabetes even further heightens it. Minorities and older people are also at an increased risk for developing it.

The Add Health survey asked respondents to identify all first- and second-degree (mother, father, brothers and sisters) biological relatives that have type 2 diabetes in both direct and distant family relationships (aunts, uncles and grandparents). Furthermore, respondents were also asked about their personal history with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Based on this information, 711 respondents were classified as high-risk for developing diabetes while 843 others were considered moderate risks and 2791 as average risks. Respondents in the high familial risk category were significantly more likely than those at low or average familial risks to report getting diagnosed (AOR: 4.36; 95% CI: 3.56-5.9) or engaging in behaviors to lower risk (AOR 2.43; 95% CI 2.13-2.41). It’s imperative that these findings are replicated across larger samples with more diverse populations.

Treatment

Prevention programs designed for children who come from families with a history of diabetes must emphasize healthy eating and physical activity as key elements to reduce unhealthy weight gain, thus decreasing risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and related conditions like heart disease or high blood pressure.

Youngsters’ risk for type 2 diabetes may increase more rapidly due to factors like obesity and genetic mutations that disrupt pancreatic function (including MODY or neonatal diabetes), potentially resulting in early and severe control problems with blood glucose.

An effective screening approach for type 2 diabetes combining familial history and obesity more than doubles its positive predictive value, providing a cost-effective and readily accessible tool for screening, evaluation, and risk reduction among young people. Notably, smoking was not associated with family history of diabetes in this study which may reflect Kenyan social-cultural norms that discourage smoking as well as TODAY clinic’s holistic treatment approach to care.

Prevention

Diabetes risk for children is on the rise due to changing lifestyles. Children are increasingly opting for indoor activities and snacks with little nutrition such as chips, cookies and soda instead of outdoor sports or healthy snacks like carrots and yogurt. Children can reduce their risk by eating nutritiously; maintaining a moderate weight; remaining physically active; eating lots of fiber-rich lean proteins fruits vegetables can reduce insulin resistance blood pressure cholesterol levels as well as obesity in general; those at increased risk include Hispanic/Latinos African Americans American Indian Alaska Natives Asian Americans along with children born to mothers who had gestational diabetes during gestation as well as people over 60 years of age as well as overweight individuals in general.

They should also make sure that children know about diabetes risk factors, and that they should talk to their doctor about it. Though genetic history is always a factor, lifestyle choices can prevent type 2 diabetes today. And they shouldn’t feel guilty if one or both parents have it; type 2 diabetes is no different from asthma or high blood pressure.