Type 2 diabetes: an overview of risk factors and prevention of onset
- Nazarko, Linda
Abstract The number of people with diabetes in the UK is predicted to rise, and most have type 2 diabetes. This condition can have a profound effect on a person's health and increases the risk of renal failure, heart attack, stroke, dementia, loss of vision and limb amputation. This second article in a series on type 2 diabetes explains what the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are, as well as what people can do to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
This article has been double-blind peer reviewed
In this article…
How various risk factors affect the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes
What the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are
Why socioeconomic deprivation greatly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Key points
The UK population is becoming less healthy and adults can experience many years of ill health
It is predicted that the number of people with diabetes will increase if we do not act
Our challenge is to enable people to remain healthy and to reduce ill health
Nurses can do much to help stem the tide of diabetes
People at greater risk of diabetes can take steps to reduce their risk