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Diabetes Question....
- Thread starter SamIchi
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The short answer is yes...
The long answer is that there are genetic and lifestyle factors (like weight and overall fitness) that come into play. Excess sugar every once and a while isn't going to make you Diabetic but a diet with a large sugar content can definitely put stess on the pancreas and mess up the blood level of your insulin. Don't worry about a candybar here and there, but if you drinking a lot of regular soda and/or eating too much candy, it's probably time for some adjustments in your diet.
The long answer is that there are genetic and lifestyle factors (like weight and overall fitness) that come into play. Excess sugar every once and a while isn't going to make you Diabetic but a diet with a large sugar content can definitely put stess on the pancreas and mess up the blood level of your insulin. Don't worry about a candybar here and there, but if you drinking a lot of regular soda and/or eating too much candy, it's probably time for some adjustments in your diet.
No, consuming a lot of sugar won't go giving you diabetes however, a poor diet high in calories, being overweight, and leading an inactive lifestyle are the main risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, the kind that is normally treated through diet and oral medications.
Type 1 diabetes, the kind that requires insulin injections, is caused by the insulin producing cells in the pancreas either being destroyed or damaged due to an abnormal auto-immune response to a virus or infection. Nothing to do with sugar at all.
So, sugar isn't going to give you diabetes directly, but it isn't going to do you a lot of good so far as general health goes. And of course if your diet is poor and you don't get much exercise you could well be making yourself more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes, the kind that requires insulin injections, is caused by the insulin producing cells in the pancreas either being destroyed or damaged due to an abnormal auto-immune response to a virus or infection. Nothing to do with sugar at all.
So, sugar isn't going to give you diabetes directly, but it isn't going to do you a lot of good so far as general health goes. And of course if your diet is poor and you don't get much exercise you could well be making yourself more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes.
Good to know. I have relatives with type 1 and my parents are afraid I'll get it so they always like to advise me not to eat sugar, or have any juice, or eat desserts.
If you have a close family member with Type 1 then you are more likely to develop it yourself (it all being in the genes and that), but that's not to say that you can't have foods that contain sugar or eat desserts but make sure of course they're part of a healthy balanced diet.
From Diabetes UK;
Eating sugar does not cause diabetes. Diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However, eating a diet high in fat and sugar can cause you to become overweight. Being overweight increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, so if you have a history of diabetes in your family, a healthy diet and regular exercise are recommended to control your weight.