- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

In article <1splvtINN…@lynx.unm.edu> kkess…@leo.unm.edu (Whiskeyjack) writes:
>In article <1993May10.204026.19…@samba.oit.unc.edu>, di…@ils.unc.edu (Lisa DiIorio) writes:
>> Father – adult-onset (40 years of age), now 3 shots a day
>> Maternal grandmother – adult-onset (35 years of age), brittle diabetic 3+
>>   shots a day
>> several aunts with gestational diabetes
>> other great aunts and uncles with adult onset
>> Am I doomed?  Is it already too late to prevent (24 years old) or should I
>> start managing as if I have type II?
>As I believe has already been pointed out, the exact causes of NIDDM are
>uncertain.  Monozygotic twin studies suggest that it’s highly genetic but
>with an environmental ‘trigger’ necessary to send it into diabetes.
>(By the way — I’m in the same boat, all of my maternal relatives for 3
>generations have developed some form of NIDDM)
>If it makes you feel better, you are much more likely to develop diabetes if
>your mother, rather than your father was diabetic.  (If she was diabetic or
>pre-diabetic at the time, anyway).

Well, I seem to have it only on my father’s side.

>While not all diabetics are obese, it is a contributing factor.  Also, the
>type of obesity seems to have an effect.  "apple-shaped" people are more likely
>to develop diabetes than "pear-shaped" people (as well as a host of other
>medical problems).
>I suppose your best bet would be to watch your weight and try to not stress
>out your system too much (ie don’t forget to eat for 24 hours then eat a box
>of oreos).  Several cultures, such as the Pima and the Nauru had low incidence
>of diabetes until they started eating western high-sugar, high-carbohydrate
>foods.  Those groups now have the dubious honor of having the highest rates
>of NIDDM in the world — about 40%.

As far as watching your weight, I agree.  There are tests for increased
production of insulin due to insulin resistance, well before clinical
Type II develops.  It would be necessary to consult an expert on the
problem.  Also, not all diabetes as adults is Type II.

A correction is in order on the diet change of the Pima Indians, and the
conclusions drawn.  Their original diet, while not high-sugar, was high
in carbohydrates, and as far as affecting blood glucose levels, easily
processed starch is almost as bad as glucose, and is worse than common
table sugar.  Their are suggestions that it is instead the high-fat
diet which is the problem.  
—
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
Phone: (317)494-6054
hru…@snap.stat.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet)  
{purdue,pur-ee}!snap.stat!hrubin(UUCP)

> Am I doomed?  Is it already too late to prevent (24 years old) or should I
> start managing as if I have type II?

As I believe has already been pointed out, the exact causes of NIDDM are
uncertain.  Monozygotic twin studies suggest that it’s highly genetic but
with an environmental ‘trigger’ necessary to send it into diabetes.

(By the way — I’m in the same boat, all of my maternal relatives for 3
generations have developed some form of NIDDM)

If it makes you feel better, you are much more likely to develop diabetes if
your mother, rather than your father was diabetic.  (If she was diabetic or
pre-diabetic at the time, anyway).

While not all diabetics are obese, it is a contributing factor.  Also, the
type of obesity seems to have an effect.  "apple-shaped" people are more likely
to develop diabetes than "pear-shaped" people (as well as a host of other
medical problems).

I suppose your best bet would be to watch your weight and try to not stress
out your system too much (ie don’t forget to eat for 24 hours then eat a box
of oreos).  Several cultures, such as the Pima and the Nauru had low incidence
of diabetes until they started eating western high-sugar, high-carbohydrate
foods.  Those groups now have the dubious honor of having the highest rates
of NIDDM in the world — about 40%.

Good Luck
Karen Kessler
kkess…@carina.unm.edu

(family history with lots of type II cases)

>Am I doomed?  Is it already too late to prevent (24 years old) or should I
>start managing as if I have type II?

Just three little words…Control…Your…Weight…

Do this, and the odds are in your favor.

–
Steve Kirchoefer                                             (202) 767-2862
Code 6851                                      kirchoe…@estd.nrl.navy.mil
Naval Research Laboratory                       Microwave Technology Branch
Washington, DC  20375-5347              Electronics Sci. and Tech. Division