Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in all societies. Unfortunately, the age of people with this disease decreases every year. One of the concerns of parents with this disease is what is the risk of their child being threatened by it and how serious is the role of genetics in developing diabetes.
What are the effective factors in developing diabetes?
Genetic (hereditary) and acquired (environmental) factors are effective in developing both types of diabetes 1 and 2, despite their differences. The role of neither of these two factors can be considered more prominent, nor can it be said that the presence of one of these two factors is sufficient to develop diabetes. To prove this claim, if genetics alone were effective in developing diabetes if one of the identical twins had diabetes, the other would be affected. This is not the case, and according to research conducted, this percentage is between 40 and 60 percent in type 1 diabetes and between 60 and 90 percent in type 2 diabetes. This means that if one of the identical twins has type 1 diabetes, about 50 percent of the other will also be affected by this disease, which indicates the role of environmental factors in developing diabetes.
The effect of genetics on type 1 diabetes
In most cases, genes related to type 1 diabetes must be inherited from both parents (both father and mother). Type 1 diabetes has been seen genetically more in white people than others. As we said, environmental factors (such as cold weather, some viruses, and early initiation of complementary feeding) play a significant role in developing type 1 diabetes.
The effect of genetics on type 2 diabetes
In type 2 diabetes, both genetic and environmental factors are more effective than in type 1 diabetes. The degree of concordance of type 2 diabetes in identical twins is between 70 to 90 percent. If a person in the family has type 2 diabetes, other family members are at serious risk of developing diabetes (genetic effect) and should be checked annually. Also, people who use a diet high in fat and carbohydrates and low in fiber and have little physical activity during the day are at risk of developing diabetes. (best diet for diabetes)
Obesity and overweight, high fat and low fiber intake, physical inactivity, history of gestational diabetes, and excessive consumption of fast food are among the environmental factors that play a role in developing type 2 diabetes.
