Does exercise decrease the risk of diabetes and heart diseases?

Maybe some are genetic but I assume you have increased risk the fatter you are.

Like diabetes, don't you have increased risk both from obesity and whether your parents have it.

Yes is does, and yes they can be genetic. I am at an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease because they are quite common in my family. Being obese does that risk no favors. Actually I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance. My next step would have been pre-diabetes and then diabetes. I am lucky because I was caught early whereas most women who have PCOS are well into pre-diabetes if not full blown diabetic before they are diagnosed. The best thing for me to have done to help reverse this condition was to lose weight.

My grandfather was not obese, but had diabetes. Though he was also in his 60's when he was diagnosed as opposed to his 30's as has been more the track record for others in our family who have been diagnosed or been told they on track for it (both my sibling and I fall into the latter group). I'm not a doctor or a scientist, but I know family history means I am at risk, and I also know that remaining obese increased that risk greatly.

I get into this debate quite often because I have both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (i.e. double diabetes). Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where your immune system kills your islets of Langerhans - cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Type 1's have problems with HLA genes on chromosome 6, but also need a trigger for the autoimmune response. It is genetic, but most people with the genes don't actually get the disease because most don't have the trigger.

Type 2 diabetes (which is what people usually mean when they say "diabetes" even though it is a completely different disease than type 1 diabetes and other types) is usually caused by obesity. Some people say that it is genetic based on anecdotes, but no genetic cause has actually been identified. A majority of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Not all type 2's are overweight or obese, but most are. Those who are not are sometimes type 1's who had a trigger as an adult and were misdiagnosed initially with type 2 (these are known as type 1.5 or LADA, but it is actually type 1). They are usually misdiagnosed as type 2 because the medical community receives insufficient training and doctors assume an adult must be type 2. They also usually have a longer honeymoon period (the time between when the auto-immune response begins and when all islet cells, aka pancreatic beta cells, are killed.

My view is that since there is no gene identified that causes type 2 and the "evidence" is anecdotal, people need to stop making the point that it is genetic. The translation is usually, "I can't help it... it's in my genes and has nothing to do with me being overweight." It's just a way to avoid personal responsibility.

cleback wrote: »

midwesterner85 wrote: »

I get into this debate quite often because I have both type 1 and type 2 diabetes (i.e. double diabetes). Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where your immune system kills your islets of Langerhans - cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Type 1's have problems with HLA genes on chromosome 6, but also need a trigger for the autoimmune response. It is genetic, but most people with the genes don't actually get the disease because most don't have the trigger.

Type 2 diabetes (which is what people usually mean when they say "diabetes" even though it is a completely different disease than type 1 diabetes and other types) is usually caused by obesity. Some people say that it is genetic based on anecdotes, but no genetic cause has actually been identified. A majority of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Not all type 2's are overweight or obese, but most are. Those who are not are sometimes type 1's who had a trigger as an adult and were misdiagnosed initially with type 2 (these are known as type 1.5 or LADA, but it is actually type 1). They are usually misdiagnosed as type 2 because the medical community receives insufficient training and doctors assume an adult must be type 2. They also usually have a longer honeymoon period (the time between when the auto-immune response begins and when all islet cells, aka pancreatic beta cells, are killed.

My view is that since there is no gene identified that causes type 2 and the "evidence" is anecdotal, people need to stop making the point that it is genetic. The translation is usually, "I can't help it... it's in my genes and has nothing to do with me being overweight." It's just a way to avoid personal responsibility.

Interesting and informative post, but I kindly disagree that type 2 is genetically based on anecdotes. Twin studies have suggested a hereditary component of the development of the disease; however, the risk is modifiable with lifestyle factors. I found this information on the American Diabetes Association's website:

"Type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history and lineage than type 1, although it too depends on environmental factors.

Studies of twins have shown that genetics play a very strong role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes. Obesity tends to run in families, and families tend to have similar eating and exercise habits.

If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, it may be difficult to figure out whether your diabetes is due to lifestyle factors or genetic susceptibility. Most likely it is due to both. However, don’t lose heart. Studies show that it is possible to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes by exercising and losing weight."



- See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/genetics-of-diabetes.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/#sthash.8cWuRQXZ.dpuf

I'll change my mind if someone ever finds the genes that cause type 2. The genes that cause type 1 have been identified. The genes that cause type 2 have never been identified. The ADA uses anectdotes to "prove" it is genetic. The studies discussed show some correllation, but no hard evidence of genetic components (scientists have been trying to find this for decades and are continuing to look, so maybe they will find something someday).

I agree with you on this point: "Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes."

I do believe there are probably some genetic tendencies to be overweight, though that doesn't mean someone will or won't be overweight or obese. It just might require some people to work a bit harder to avoid obesity. Since type 2 is usually caused by obesity, someone who is genetically prone to be overweight or obese is also prone to have type 2 diabetes. The cause:effect is still obesity:type 2, not genes:type 2.

I will acknowledge that the genetics of obesity, unlike diabetes, are outside of my area of expertise. I've read a few scientific articles on it as there are geneticists who study such things, and I understand that genetic factors exist. Beyond that, I won't comment specifically on any particular genes that might cause obesity because that is a more broad discussion than is warranted for this topic thread.