Is Diabetes Inherited? Here is what you need to know

You probably have a lot of questions if you have diabetes. You have probably wondered how type 2 diabetes or even type 1 conditions arrived in your life. You may be concerned that it will have an impact on your children. Although the aetiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetes differs, both have two components in common. You are born with a disease predisposition, but something in your environment sets it off. Genes are not enough on their own. A great example is identical twins. Identical twins have the same genes. Only half of the time, when one twin is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the second twin is also diagnosed. When one twin is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the other is three times as likely to develop the disease.

Type 1 vs Type 2 Diabetes

Risk factors of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

In most cases, people with type 1 diabetes must inherit risk factors from both parents. Experts are interested in learning more about the environmental factors that cause diabetes because most people who are at risk do not develop the disease. One of the triggers could be the cold temperature. In the winter, type 1 diabetes strikes more frequently than in the summer, and it is more common in colder climates. Viruses may also be a cause. A virus that causes only minor symptoms in most people may cause type 1 diabetes in some people. Early-life dietary habits may also have an impact. People who were nursed and who started eating solid foods later in life are less likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is more closely linked to family history and lineage than type 1, and twin studies have demonstrated that genetics plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Environmental factors, on the other hand, play a role. One’s lifestyle has an impact on the development of type 2 diabetes. Obesity is often handed down through families when eating and active habits are often the same. If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, determining whether your diabetes is caused by lifestyle factors or genetics might be difficult. It’s most likely a mix of the two. But do not be disheartened! Studies have indicated that exercising and losing weight can help patients delay or avoid developing type 2 diabetes.

Is your child predisposed to diabetes?

Researchers are working to figure out how to forecast a person’s risk of developing diabetes. Most white persons with type 1 diabetes, for example, have the HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR4 genes, which have been related to autoimmune illness. Your child’s risk is increased if you and your child are both white and share certain genes. Other ethnic groups’ suspect genes have received less attention, although scientists believe the HLA-DR7 gene may put African Americans at risk, while the HLA-DR9 gene may put Japanese people in danger. Children with type 1 diabetes who have siblings can get an antibody test. Antibodies to insulin, pancreatic islet cells, or a glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme are measured in this test (GAD). High levels may suggest a child’s likelihood of acquiring type 1 diabetes. For relatives of persons with type 1 diabetes, there are risk screening tests that employ a simple blood test to predict your chance of developing type 1 diabetes years before symptoms occur. Diabetes type 2 runs in families. This is partly due to children picking up unhealthy behaviours from their parents, such as eating a poor diet and not exercising. However, there is a genetic component involved,  the good news is that, just like adults, kids can delay or avoid type 2 diabetes by supporting healthy eating habits, exercise, and weight loss.

Is there a possibility for genetic testing for TYPE 1 DIABETES?

Scientists at the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Health Genomics in Charlottesville have created a genetic test that they believe can predict the likelihood of type 1 diabetes. Because there is no specific gene that causes type 1 diabetes, conducting genetic testing would be difficult. The new test, according to Dr. Stephen Rich, Director of the Center for Public Health Genomics, integrates the various gene variants that play a role in type 1 diabetes and can predict up to 90% of cases. A saliva sample is used in the test, which is then compared to 82 genetic locations. According to him, a threshold is used to identify people who have a 10-fold greater risk of getting type 1 diabetes. “For those with a high genetic risk, we offer autoantibody screening-4 islet autoantibodies, which are biomarkers of type 1 diabetes development,” Rich explains. “We believe that if a participant has two or more of the four autoantibodies, thorough monitoring is recommended to identify probable disease progression.” The test is still in its early stages of development, and Rich believes it is unclear whether it’ll be useful as a screening tool for the general public. Although there is still more work to be done, Rich believes the test will be useful in identifying risk and directing future research into a disease treatment. Learn more about how our DNA test can help you. It’s considered the most advanced DNA test in Malaysia that we can provide, so we’d like to offer you our premium DNA test. You can take advantage of this offer and reap the benefits of getting a DNA test.