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| Risk Groups of Diabetes |  Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. However, diabetes is likely to be the underlying cause of death on death certificates. Approximately 65% of deaths among people with diabetes are related to heart disease and stroke.
Diabetes causes long-term complications that affect almost every part and organ of the body. This disease often results in blindness, stroke, heart and blood vessel disease, amputations, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Uncontrolled diabetes can complicate pregnancy and delivery. Besides, birth defects are more common in babies born to women with diabetes.
Who Gets Diabetes?
Diabetes is not contagious. People cannot get it from each other. Nevertheless, certain factors can increase the chance of developing diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs equally among men and women, but is more common in whites than in nonwhites. It has been indicated that type 1 diabetes is less often in most Asian, American Indian, and African populations. Nevertheless, some northern European countries, like Finland and Sweden, have high rates of type 1 diabetes. This phenomenon is unknown. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs during the teenage years or before the age of 40.
Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people after the age of 40. The risk of diabetes of this type increases if adult person is overweight. Type 2 diabetes occurs more often in African Americans, American Indians, some Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic Americans.
Pregnant women may be affected by gestational diabetes. It so happens because organism of pregnant woman produces great amount of glucose in blood, and there may not be enough insulin secreted to absorb the glucose.
Gestational diabetes in pregnant women usually disappears after childbirth. Some women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy have recurrences in further life. Gestational diabetes in pregnant women is rare. It affects nearly 1 in 20 women.
The following factors increase the risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy:
- Being overweight before becoming pregnant
- Being a one of a high risk ethnic group ( black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American)
- Presence of glucose in your urine
- High level of blood glucose, but not high enough for diabetes
- Family history for diabetes
- Previous delivery with a baby over 9 pounds
- Previous delivery with a still-birth baby
- Presence gestational diabetes with a previous pregnancy
- Having too much amniotic fluid
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