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10 Deadly Myths About Diabetes
Myth: Diabetes Doesn't Run in My Family, So I'm Safe
Many people develop diabetes despite the fact that they have no family history of the disease. Heredity certainly plays a role, but studies involving identical twins show it is not the only factor.
When one twin has type 1 diabetes, the other has a fifty-fifty chance of having it, too. For type 2 diabetes, twins are more likely to share the diagnosis – the odds of the second twin having it can be as high as 75 percent. But even then, the reason may be that their diets and weight gain are similar.
Bottom line? To minimize your risk for diabetes, you need to exercise and watch what you eat no matter what your family history is.
(Photo Credit: iStockphoto/CBS News)
HealthWatch: Celebrity Chef Paula Deen Reveals She Has Diabetes
When one twin has type 1 diabetes, the other has a fifty-fifty chance of having it, too. For type 2 diabetes, twins are more likely to share the diagnosis – the odds of the second twin having it can be as high as 75 percent. But even then, the reason may be that their diets and weight gain are similar.
Bottom line? To minimize your risk for diabetes, you need to exercise and watch what you eat no matter what your family history is.
(Photo Credit: iStockphoto/CBS News)
HealthWatch: Celebrity Chef Paula Deen Reveals She Has Diabetes
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