By Amy Adams, MS

Reviewed by Jeremy Walston, MD
Last updated September 15, 2000

Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes in your family, there are steps you can take to help your family understand their risk for the disease.

Know Your Risk

People with a family history of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk for developing diabetes than the general population. This is especially true if your first-degree relatives — parents, children, or siblings — have diabetes. The risk decreases if it's only your aunts, uncles, cousins, or grandparents with the disease because you share fewer genes with these more distant relatives. Everyone who is a blood relative (not a stepparent, or aunt or uncle by marriage, for example) should be made aware of their risk for diabetes.

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Follow Screening Guidelines

If diabetes runs in your family, then all family members should follow the American Diabetes Association guidelines for screening and prevention. Although there are no specific screening schedules for preventing Type 1 diabetes, there are for Type 2. These include regular exercise, maintaining a weight that is appropriate for your height, and having your glucose levels tested every three years after 45. Even if your family members are unable to prevent Type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise, regular glucose tests may catch the disease before serious damage to the eyes, kidneys, or blood vessels occurs.

Stay Informed

By staying informed about scientific advances, you and your family can be up to date on new ways to treat, screen for, or prevent diabetes

Although there is no genetic test for diabetes today — and no way to cure the disease — scientists are actively studying both Type1 and Type2 diabetes. By staying informed about scientific advances, you and your family can be up to date on new ways to treat, screen for, or prevent diabetes. One way to stay informed is to register for MyGeneticHealth. Then you will receive easily understandable summaries of the latest research and medical developments, tailored to convey the news that's relevant to diseases that affect you and your family.

Register for MyGeneticHealth

We also inform registered users about opportunities to participate in diabetes research. Participating in research studies gives you the chance to try new approaches to both screening and prevention. In addition, you help others by furthering the medical and scientific communities' understanding of diabetes.

References

American Diabetes Association (1999). Clinical Practice Recommendations 1999. Diabetes Care (Suppl. 1) 22: S1-S114.