You may be at greater risk for type 2 diabetes if you live with obesity, have a family history of diabetes, and more.

Knowing the risk factors for type 2 diabetes can help you make changes that may help reduce your risk of developing the condition while also benefitting your overall health.

If you develop type 2 diabetes, it’s important to remember that it’s not your fault. There are various factors at play.

In type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells don’t respond to insulin as they once did, resulting in sugar (glucose) building up in your blood.

You can’t address all risk factors that may play a role in type 2 diabetes development. For example, your age, ethnicity, and genetics are risk factors outside your control.

However, you can take steps to address other risk factors in your life. Making those lifestyle changes can become even more important if you’re already working against other unchangeable risk factors.

Genetics plays a role in risk factors for type 2 diabetes. This 2022 research observes that the development of this type of diabetes is likely a combination of behavioral and environmental factors and underlying genetics.

You’re more at risk for it if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, especially if a parent or sibling has it. Gene mutations have also been linked with type 2 diabetes, but mutations only account for a small portion of those with the condition.

People 45 years or older are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and older adults have the highest chance based on age.

This is because as you get older, insulin secretion decreases, and changes in your body composition make it more insulin resistant. Both of these can lead to high blood sugar levels.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out that type 2 diabetes is more common in Black, Hispanic/Latinx American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, and Asian American communities.

Many factors contribute to this. They can be biological and clinical factors, as well as social factors and systemic healthcare inequity.

Lifestyle habits can also contribute to your type 2 diabetes risk, but they are modifiable. By addressing and changing these situations, you can decrease your risk. Lifestyle risk factors can include:

  • living with extra weight or obesity
  • low physical activity levels
  • smoking and alcohol use

While having a higher body mass index (BMI) doesn’t always mean you’ll develop type 2 diabetes, many health professionals still use a BMI index chart to see if your height and weight may put you at risk.

Certain medical conditions can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These medical conditions can include:

Even if you have these risk factors, you can take steps to help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Steps you can take

  • Eat healthy: Limit refined sugars and carbohydrates (like cakes, cookies, and sugary sodas), increase your lean protein intake (chicken and fish), stay hydrated, and eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
  • Increase physical activity: Diabetes experts recommend at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, which means about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Even if you don’t have access to a gym, you can do things like power walk around your neighborhood or try an online fitness class at home.
  • Lose weight (if your doctor has recommended it): Losing weight isn’t easy, but if your doctor has recommended it, it’s an important step in avoiding or managing type 2 diabetes. Embracing nourishing foods and physical activity as a lifestyle, instead of just a temporary fix, can also help you keep the weight off once you’ve lost it.
  • Stay current with your yearly physicals: Yearly physical exams usually involve blood tests to check up on your overall health. Keeping your appointments can help you stay one step ahead of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Making these changes can be challenging and overwhelming, but support is available. Your healthcare team can help advise you on best practices for reducing type 2 diabetes risk.

Diabetes affects all races and ethnicities. However, diabetes disproportionately affects marginalized populations.

They experience higher prevalence rates, more challenges managing blood sugar levels, and higher rates of complications due to disparities in both healthcare and health outcomes.

Research shows these inequities include people who’ve had gestational diabetes during pregnancy and develop type 2 diabetes afterward.

Access to care, testing, and intervention also play a role, which are key obstacles people face because of healthcare inequities.

Without access to general healthcare, people cannot get the preventive care and health education that’s vital to helping them reduce their risks for type 2 diabetes.

People who are less able to get diagnostic testing or even have routine access to healthcare professionals may not know they have type 2 diabetes. This can lead to the condition not being diagnosed and treated, potentially raising the risk of diabetes-related complications.

As with any condition, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about type 2 diabetes and various risk factors.

Knowing which ones are untrue can help you learn more about the condition.

  • Too much sugar causes diabetes: Eating sugar is not the cause of diabetes. A complex array of genetic and environmental factors increase a person’s risk for diabetes.
  • You need to eat special food if you have diabetes: A nutrient-dense, balanced eating style — including occasional treats — is not a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
  • Carbs are taboo: While it’s best for people with diabetes (and those without diabetes) to limit processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, and calories, an occasional treat is OK. Whole grains and other complex carbohydrates are part of a nutrient-rich, balanced diet for both people with and without diabetes.
  • Diabetes is not serious: It’s important to take diabetes seriously because it can lead to complications if not managed well. This can damage your heart, eyes, nerves, and other body parts.

If you hear anything about type 2 diabetes that you are not sure of or that you have questions about, don’t hesitate to ask a medical professional. They can provide you with factual information and clear up any myths or confusion about what you’ve heard.

Type 2 diabetes may not always be preventable, but there are steps you can take to help reduce your risk — and even delay a diagnosis.

You may face a higher risk based on multiple factors, including family history and genetics, age, race and ethnicity, access to care, weight goals, and more.

Your healthcare team can help answer questions about your risk of type 2 diabetes. They can also guide you on making the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent or delay onset.