Studies over the years have proved that diabetes is in fact passed down generations.
Almost 80% of people affected can come up with at least one person in the family with diabetes.
The interesting part is that it need not necessarily be diabetes which was prevalent on the maternal or paternal side for the children to develop the disease.
What is implied here is that since diabetes is an auto immune disease, any other disease of the same order like rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid disease can in fact cause their offspring to develop diabetes in later stages in life.
Though the disease has been found to be genetic, chances of offspring developing it is likely only if the respective trait is passed down from both the parents.
In persons affected, symptoms usually crop up when they reach middle age.
Incidences of juvenile diabetes are few.
Overweight people are likely to come up with symptoms sooner.
The same can be said about female victims of this disease.
In spite of it being hereditary, its advent can be delayed or controlled by following a healthy lifestyle.
Children are becoming increasingly susceptible to Type 2 diabetes.
Therefore they should avoid processed and tinned food, flavored drinks that contain large amounts of sugar that can lead to obesity and ultimately diabetes.
Encourage them to play outdoors rather than idling away time immersed in computer games or TV.
A person who does become affected by the disease in spite of all precautions taken will just have to live with it probably with diet control or with medication as well.
A check on all bodily functions is necessary to ensure that the disease has not affected cardio vascular, kidney, liver functions etc.
Regular eye- check ups are also advised to check the advent of diabetic retinopathy.