Diabetes Risks & Prevention

Diabetes Risk Factors
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Know the risk factors for different types of diabetes.

Type 1 DiabetesType 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an immune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). Risk factors for type 1 diabetes are not as clear as for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Known risk factors include:

Family history: Having a parent, brother, or sister with type 1 diabetes.
Age: You can get type 1 diabetes at any age, but it’s more likely to develop when you’re a child, teen, or young adult.

In the United States, whites are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes than African Americans and Hispanic/Latino Americans.

Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 DiabetesYou’re at risk for developing type 2 diabetes if you:

Have prediabetes
Are overweight
Are 45 years or older
Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
Are physically active less than 3 times a week
Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native (some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are also at higher risk)

If you have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease you may also be at risk for type 2 diabetes.

You can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes with simple, proven lifestyle changes such as losing weight if you’re overweight, eating healthier, and getting regular physical activity.

PrediabetesYou’re at risk for developing prediabetes if you:

Are overweight
Are 45 years or older
Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes
Are physically active less than 3 times a week
Have ever had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, or Alaska Native (some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are also at higher risk)

You can prevent or reverse prediabetes with simple, proven lifestyle changes such as losing weight if you’re overweight, eating healthier, and getting regular physical activity. The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program can help you make healthy changes that have lasting results.

Gestational DiabetesYou’re at risk for developing gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant) if you:

Had gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy
Have given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds
Are overweight
Are more than 25 years old
Have a family history of type 2 diabetes
Have a hormone disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander

Gestational diabetes usually goes away after your baby is born but increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later in life. Your baby is more likely to have obesity as a child or teen, and is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life too.

Before you get pregnant, you may be able to prevent gestational diabetes by losing weight if you’re overweight, eating healthier, and getting regular physical activity.

Learn More

Page last reviewed: April 23, 2021
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Risk Factors for Diabetes-Related Complications
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Report Pages

National Diabetes Statistics Report
Prevalence of Both Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Diabetes
Prevalence of Diagnosed Diabetes
Incidence of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes
Prevalence of Prediabetes Among Adults
Risk Factors for Diabetes-Related Complications
Preventing Diabetes-Related Complications
Coexisting Conditions and Complications
Appendix

Among US adults aged 18 years or older with diagnosed diabetes, crude estimates for 2015–2018 shown in Appendix Table 8 were:

Smoking

19.8% were tobacco users based on self-report or levels of serum cotinine.
13.8% reported current cigarette smoking.
37.1% had quit smoking but had a history of smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.

Overweight and Obesity

89.8% were overweight or had obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or higher. Specifically:
- 27.7% were overweight (BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2).
- 45.8% had obesity (BMI of 30.0 to 39.9 kg/m2).
- 16.2% had extreme obesity (BMI of 40.0 kg/m2 or higher).

Physical Inactivity

34.3% were physically inactive, defined as getting less than 10 minutes a week of moderate or vigorous activity in each physical activity category of work, leisure time, and transportation.

A1C

49.4% had an A1C value of 7.0% or higher. Specifically:
- 24.9% had an A1C value of 7.0% to 7.9%.
- 11.4% had an A1C value of 8.0% to 9.0%.
- 13.2% had an A1C value higher than 9.0%.
10.4% of adults aged 18–44 years had A1C levels of 10% or higher, compared to 9.4% of those aged 45–64 years and 2.6% of those aged 65 years or older (Appendix Table 9).

High Blood Pressure

69.0% had a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher or were on prescription medication for their high blood pressure (Appendix Table 8).

High Cholesterol*

44.3% had a non-HDL level of 130 mg/dL or higher. Specifically:
- 22.1% had a non-HDL level of 130 to 159 mg/dL.
- 12.5% had a non-HDL level of 160 to 189 mg/dL.
- 9.7% had a non-HDL level of 190 mg/dL or higher.

* Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL) contains all the atherogenic lipoproteins, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), very-low-density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), and others. Growing evidence supports non-HDL as a better predictor of cardiovascular disease risk than LDL.2

Page last reviewed: December 29, 2021
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevent Diabetes Complications
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Even though diabetes can lead to other health problems, you can prevent or delay these complications in many ways. Common diabetes health complications include heart disease, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, and other problems with feet, oral health, vision, hearing, and mental health. Learn how to prevent or delay these diabetes complications and how to improve overall health.

Heart Disease

How to be heart-healthy if you have diabetes.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)Diabetes is a leading cause of CKD. Find out what you can do to improve both.

Nerve Damage Ways you can prevent or slow nerve damage caused by diabetes.

Foot Health
Foot care basics to help stop small problems from becoming big ones.

Oral Health
Guidelines to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Hearing Loss
Signs of hearing loss and how you can help prevent it.

Vision Loss
How to prevent vision problems or stop them from getting worse.

Mental Health
Ways to take care of your mental health that can help manage diabetes too.

Learn More

Page last reviewed: March 9, 2022
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease
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If you have diabetes, ask your doctor about kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) often develops slowly and with few symptoms. Many people don’t realize they have CKD until it’s advanced and they need dialysis (a treatment that filters the blood) or a kidney transplant to survive.

If you have diabetes, get your kidneys checked regularly, which is done by your doctor with simple blood and urine tests. Regular testing is your best chance for identifying CKD early if you do develop it. Early treatment is most effective and can help prevent additional health problems.

CKD is common in people with diabetes. Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has CKD. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can cause kidney disease.

Kidney Facts

Kidney diseases are the 9th leading cause of death in the United States.
Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes has CKD.
Every 24 hours, 170 people with diabetes begin treatment for kidney failure.

How Diabetes Causes Kidney DiseaseEach kidney is made up of millions of tiny filters called nephrons. Over time, high blood sugar from diabetes can damage blood vessels in the kidneys as well as nephrons so they don’t work as well as they should. Many people with diabetes also develop high blood pressure, which can damage kidneys too.

CKD takes a long time to develop and usually doesn’t have any signs or symptoms in the early stages. You won’t know you have CKD unless your doctor checks you for it.

Tips To Keep Your Kidneys HealthyYou can help keep your kidneys healthy by managing your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. This is also very important for your heart and blood vessels—high blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels are all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Physical activity can help

prevent kidney disease.

Keep your blood sugar levels in your target range as much as possible.
Get an A1C test at least twice a year, more often if your medicine changes or if you have other health conditions. Talk to your doctor about how often is right for you.
Check your blood pressure regularly and keep it below 140/90 mm/Hg (or the target your doctor sets). Talk to your doctor about medicines and other ways to lower your blood pressure.
Stay in your target cholesterol range.
Eat foods lower in sodium.
Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Be physically active.
Take your medicines as directed.

Prediabetes and Kidney Disease

If you have prediabetes, taking action to prevent type 2 diabetes is an important step in preventing kidney disease. Studies have shown that overweight people at higher risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay developing it by losing 5% to 7% of their body weight, or 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. You can do that by eating healthier and getting 150 minutes of physical activity each week. CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program can help you create the healthy lifestyle habits needed to prevent type 2 diabetes. Find a program in your community or online.

Learn More

Page last reviewed: May 7, 2021
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Resources and Publications

CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) offers many types of resources and publications, for audiences ranging from the general public, to scientists and other experts.

Reports and Publications View data reports and scientific articles and manuscripts.

Features and Spotlights Explore articles created for people with diabetes, people at risk for type 2 diabetes, and their families and friends.

Fact Sheets and Toolkits Get the facts about prediabetes, managing diabetes, diabetes complications, and more.

Evaluation Resources Evaluation Guides, Lessons Learned Briefs, Profiles, Case Studies

Infographics Download or print these shareable graphics.

Social Media Join the public health conversation across social platforms.

Press Access our library of significant press releases and media tools.

Videos and Podcasts Dig deeper into diabetes-related content.

Page last reviewed: June 15, 2021
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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