DIABETES RISK FACTORS

Type 1 diabetes:

Family history:
Having a family history of the disease increases the chance that an individual will develop antibodies to the insulin-making cells (beta cells) in the pancreas. But being genetically predisposed to type 1 diabetes does not mean that the individual will develop diabetes.

Only about 10-15% of individuals with type 1 diabetes have a family history of the disease.

If the father has the disease,
a child has a 6% risk of developing it.

If a sibling has the disease,
a child has a 5% risk of developing it.

If the mother has the disease,
a child has a 2% risk of developing it.

If an identical twin has the disease,
the other twin has a 30% to 50% risk of developing it.

If both a parent and one sibling have the disease,
a child has a 30% risk of developing it.

Ethnicity:
Caucasian individuals have an increased risk for developing type 1 diabetes compared to African-Americans, Asians, or Latinos.

Presence of islet cell antibodies in the blood:
People who have both a family history of type 1 diabetes and islet cell antibodies in their blood are likely to develop the disease.

Viral infections during childhood:
A child who has certain viral infections, particularly Coxsackie B infections, has a risk almost six times greater of developing type 1 diabetes than children who have not had this type of viral infection. However, this does not mean that the child will definitely develop type 1 diabetes. It is unclear how these infections lead to type 1 diabetes.

Lack of breastfeeding:
Children who have a genetic tendency for type 1 diabetes and stop breastfeeding before three months of age or who are given cow's milk formula before four months of age, have a slightly increased risk for developing type 1 diabetes.

Children who have a sibling with diabetes and drink more than two, eight ounce glasses of cow's milk per day during childhood may have a four times greater risk of developing antibodies for type 1 diabetes, increasing the risk of developing the disease. Doctors are uncertain how cow's milk actually plays a role in the development of type 1 diabetes. Insulin in the cow's milk may be a factor.

Source: Natural Standard

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