What Are the Causes and Factors of Diabetes?

There are no confirmed causes of diabetes mellitus although genetic factors and such factors as obesity and lack of exercise in combination with several other factors may be responsible for it.



If a person is predisposed to the disease then their environment might play a role in activating diabetes. The causes of type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes and the causes of type 2 diabetes are different causes. Genes alone is not the confirmed reason for procuring diabetes.



If one of the identical twins (who have identical genes) has type 1 diabetes then there are 50% chances of the other twin to develop the same form of diabetes whereas for type 2 diabetes the risk is 3 in 4. The most important cause of juvenile diabetes is failure of the body to produce insulin which results in glucose entering the blood stream and fueling it. Type 2 diabetes results due to the inability of the pancreas to use insulin suitably and there is virtual insulin insufficiency.



Gestational diabetes is developed in pregnant women and it vanishes after child birth though it leaves them vulnerable to developing type 2 diabetes later in life. When an individual's blood glucose levels are higher than is normal but not sufficient for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, then they are said to be suffering from pre diabetes.

Certain kinds of drugs may elevate blood sugar level, damage beta cells in the pancreas, thus developing permanent diabetes in a person.



The immune system becomes ineffectual in killing the infecting agents which go on to kill the beta cells. The immune system itself may destroy the beta cells in the process of attacking body's tissues. There is a circulation of antibodies which are caused by the death of beta cells.



This process is responsible for developing diabetes in an individual.

Diabetes is not an infectious disease and the rate of appearance of type 1 diabetes in women and men are equivalent. It can occur at any age but is most common in children. Whites are more prone to develop type 1 diabetes.



Type 2 diabetes is more common in older and overweight people and those who are less active. The reasons for difference in the various causes of diabetes with respect to ethnicity and age are not known.