What is diabetes?
Diabetes is when your body has a hard time keeping blood sugar regular. It happens when your body doesn’t make enough of the hormone insulin or when your body doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should.
Most common types of diabetes
Type 1: Your immune system attacks the parts of your pancreas that make insulin
Type 2: Your body doesn’t make enough insulin or it doesn’t respond to insulin the way it’s supposed to
Prediabetes: Your blood sugar levels are higher than they should be but not as high as Type 2
Gestational: Diabetes developed during pregnancy
Risk factors for diabetes
Type 1
Family history of autoimmune disorders
Possibly exposure to certain viruses like coxsackievirus
Type 2, prediabetes and gestational
Family history of diabetes
Age (45 or older)
History of gestational diabetes
Overweight or obesity
Not getting enough physical activity
High blood pressure
Smoking
Agent Orange exposure
Stress
Rates of diabetes by race and ethnicity:
American Indian and Alaska Native adults (13.6%)
Non-Hispanic Black adults (12.1%)
Adults of Hispanic origin (11.7%)
Non-Hispanic Asian adults (9.1%)
Non-Hispanic white adults (6.9%)
Other risk factors for gestational diabetes include:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Previous delivery of a baby over 9 pounds
The link between stress and diabetes
Stress can increase diabetes risk.
Women living with PTSD are almost 2x more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes
Stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyle factors:
Poor diet
Not enough physical activity
Smoking
Drinking too much alcohol
Stress also increases the hormone cortisol, which can raise your blood sugar levels.
People living with chronic or long-term stress are most at risk.
Symptoms of diabetes
Excessive thirst or dry mouth
Frequent peeing
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Unexplained weight loss
Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet
Sores or cuts that take a long time to heal
Frequent skin or vaginal yeast infections
See your healthcare provider if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
This educational resource was created with support from AstraZeneca.