Diabetes - Gestational diabetes

Causes & Prevention

Is Diabetes Preventable?

People with pre-diabetes have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. This condition raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Pre-diabetes is also called impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), depending on the test used to diagnose it. Some people have both IFG and IGT.

IFG is a condition in which the blood glucose level is high (100 to 125 mg/dL) after an overnight fast, but is not high enough to be classified as diabetes. (The former definition of IFG was 110 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL.)

What Are the Different Types of Diabetes?

What are the types of diabetes?

The three main types of diabetes are:

  1. type 1 diabetes
  2. type 2 diabetes
  3. gestational diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body’s system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. In diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. A person who has type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to live.

Preventing Diabetes - 5 Tips for Continued Good Health

Diabetes is preventable under most circumstances. Here are 5 ways to minimize your risk:

  • Lose extra weight
  • Skip fad diets
  • Get plenty of fiber
  • Go for whole grains

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

The causes of gestational diabetes are similar to other forms of diabetes, namely a problem at the cellular level getting the necessary energy from glucose (sugar). This usually involves an interaction between insulin (produced by the pancreas), glucose, and the liver.

Preventing Diabetes

Diabetes may run in your family, but even so, healthy lifestyle choices can help you prevent it, expecially a healthy diet and regular exercise. Even if you've already been diagnosed with diabetes, the same healthy lifestyle choices can help you prevent potentially serious complications.

Insulin shortage or hormonal problems cause Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes can begin during the late stages of pregnancy. Although this form of diabetes usually goes away after the baby is born, a woman who has had it is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.