Health Risks Type 2 Diabetes
Based on your genetics, your genetic predisposition for Type 2 Diabetes is
What does this mean?
Your genotypes indicate that you have a typical risk for type 2 diabetes.
How Is Your Genetic Risk Calculated?
6.06
This result is based on the SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphism)that are associated with Type 2 Diabetes.
Risk Factors Can Influence The Risk of Developing Type 2 diabetes
Genetics are NOT the only risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental, genetic and lifestyle factors. Now that you have learnt about your genetic risk, you can determine how aggressively you need to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk.
The earlier in your life that you commit to living a healthy lifestyle, the more you can reduce your risk for or delay the development of Type 2 Diabetes.
History of Gestational Diabetes
Having a history of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing 4kg or more, is one of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Cholesterol Levels
Risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases in individuals who have a low level of HDL (good) cholesterol, or a high level of triglycerides.
Family History
Individuals with more than one relative with diabetes or with younger maternal diagnoses had an even higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Age
The risk of type 2 diabetes increases as you get older, especially after age 45.
Weight
You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are overweight or obese.
Suggested Lifestyle Changes
Dietary Recommendations:
- Aim to have an enriching diet with higher cereal fiber and low in calories, for example, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
- Substitute refined sugar with low-calorie sweeteners in your daily beverages.
- Consume carbohydrates with a low or medium Glycemic Index (GI). Typically low and moderate GI food are corn, sweet potatoes, dried beans, kidney beans, barley, quinoa, fruits, greens, non-starchy vegetables, brown rice, pita bread.
- Cut down processed foods that are high in sodium (canned food, fast food, fried food), added sugar ( baked good, sweetened beverages), and saturated fats (red meat, butter, cheese). Stick with whole, fresh, and minimally processed foods.
- Frequent, small meals can help to slow down the absorption of food, decrease blood sugar levels after meals, and reduce insulin requirement during the course of the day.
- Reduce consumption of calorie-rich foods in large portions as they increase the risk of developing insulin resistance (IR) and subsequently diabetes.
- Increase protein proportions while reducing carbohydrate proportions. Proteins require smaller portions to supply the same amount of calories compared to carbs. It also requires more energy to digest, reducing the glycemic load.
Lifestyle Recommendations:
- Maintain healthy body weight. Obese and overweight individuals are at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Do not smoke as smoking is associated with increased insulin resistance, inflammation, and dyslipidemia. Studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes.
- Reduce alcohol consumption to 1 to 2 servings a day. Alcohol beverages such as wines and beers contain sugar which can increase blood sugar levels. Alcohol also taxes the liver, lowering its ability to maintain blood sugar levels.
Exercise Recommendations:
- Incorporate 30-60 minutes of medium intensity exercises at least 3 to 5 times a week. Examples of exercises are cycling, swimming, and competitive sports.
- Incorporate resistance training such as weight lifting and bodyweight exercises at least 3 times a week.
Result Explanation Recommendations:
- Regular exercise can help to promote strength and flexibility to the joints and muscles.
- Exercising is an effective way to reduce and manage stressful thoughts, which will reduce the frequency of flare-ups.