can diabetes skip a generation?

Question

for the last 5 generations my family have developed unstable diabetes around the age of 50-55 years of age - which needs regular insulin. my mother and her sister and brother have not got it. can it skip a generation and i can get it .my own father was also diabetic, so is there a strong link, gp keeps testing me for it.
grans had it for 45 years and i have seen the effects it can have and the close monitering it needs and i'm a little scared really as life is fast approaching that age. i know it can be treated affectively. has anyone else been scared they might also get it, how did you cope.

my dad did have it but the diabetes was on my mothers side of the family just to clarify

Answer 1

While there is a strong genetic correlation with type 2 diabetes, there really isn't with type 1.

I'm a type 1 diabetic...and the only known diabetic of any type in my family...going back 4-5 generations. There is no history of the disease in my family and my parents were shocked when I was diagnosed.

Since diabetes does seem to run in your family, it would be a good idea to get tested.

Diabetes can pop up anywhere in a family tree. It doesn't necessarily hit every generation...or every other generation. It can just happen. Type 2 seems to show a strong genetic connection. Type 1 tends to be random, often hitting without warning or obvious cause. Type 1 mainly hits in the childhood, teen and early adult years. It is rare for it to happen after age 30 but not unheard of. Type 2 is more common in the adult years, often occuring after age 40. Here again, it DOES happen in the childhood years...in recent years, this is becoming even more common. Type 2 is mainly related to poor diet, lack of exercise and body weight. Type 1 results from the body's inability to produce insulin. It is an autoimmune disorder.

As for coping with diabetes...should you one day develop it...remember this: there are a lot of diseases that can take your life...diabetes can take OVER your life...whether or not you let it is up to you.

For more statistics and the latest information, check out diabetes.org. That is the website for the American Diabetes Association.

EMT

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

Both type 1 &2 are autoimmune diseases.
There is about a .01 % of anyone getting it.
The percentage goes up as it is in your your family.
The highest possibility is identical twins where the chance of getting diabetes is .5 %
The skipping a generation thing is just an old wives tale.It may be true in some peoples situations but not with everyone.

Answer 5

Contrary to popular belief, diabetes is not necessarily genetic. My boyfriend was diagnosed with type 1 insulin dependant diabetes 2 years ago and there is not one other person in his family past or present that has / had it. So yes I guess it can skip a generation. I think your family have just been very unlucky.

My boyfriend coped terribly when he first had it, he was ex military and pretty fit and was so shocked to be diagnosed with it. He has now however, turned it into a positive and runs every day, is ultra fit now, has a great healthy diet and because of this keeps his blood sugars very low. This means he has to take less insulin and will help his overall health as he gets older.

Answer 6

Cure Diabetes Problems Naturally : http://DiabetesTreated.com/Benefit

Answer 7

Yes it can. If it is anywhere in your family history, you can get it. Even people with no history can, so you need to be watchful and maintain a healthy weight and healthy diet. If your dad had it, it would not be skipping a generation. You have a lot of genetic factors for inheriting it. Just do your best and keep getting checked.

Answer 8

Yes I think so. My wife was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in her late 30's . Her maternal grandmother died as a result of diabetic complications. Her mother who is now in her 80's is absolutely clear of the illness. Her sister is also clear. None of our 3 children ,now in their 30's have shown any sign of it. The grandchildren are mostly teenagers now and hopefully will not develop the illness in later life. Fortunately the treatments are improving all the time and most sufferers can lead an absolutely normal life.

Answer 9

It can skip generations, but what is most important is your family history of it. Just by having diabetes in your family history, it increases the odds that you (or your mother/sister/brother) will develop it.

Refer to the source I've listed to learn more about how genes and environmental factors (e.g., your diet, exersize, etc...)can interact to increase or decrease the chances of developing full-blown diabetes.

Answer 10

Hi there, diabetes is really strong in my family too. my great grandad and his children had it, then it has passed down to one person from the next generation so far (my mothers brother) and to his daughter to his 28 years old. I have some blood sugar problems which i'm aware of and I'm scared of getting it. it can be treated and managed, i'm in m 30s and i always have it in my mind that i'm looking after my pancreas! I don't eat sweets or junk (luckily i don't have a sweet tooth) in fact i don't even eat much fruit. I make sure to have a very good balanced diet and avoid too much alcohol. I don't know if it will work or not or even if that weakness has been passed to my mother herself but if i do get it at least i will know i tried my best. don't worry too much, just eat properly and exercise too. stay as healthy as you can in general.