• Question: what causes mature onset diabetes in the young

    Asked by samyoung to Jamie, Jodie, Kat, Mark, Niamh on 24 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Katherine Davies

      Katherine Davies answered on 23 Mar 2011:

      Hi

      Do you mean type 2 diabetes? As far as I know, its to do with diet and lifestyle choices, which are usually of no fault of the childs. Im not sure there is a genetic factor, but I would imagine so as it is a common problem. Sorry I cant be of any more help.

    • Photo: Jamie Pringle

      Jamie Pringle answered on 23 Mar 2011:

      Hello samyoung,

      Type 2 diabetes you mean? From the evidence so far, it is due primarily to lifestyle factors and genetics, i.e. eating too much unhealthy (saturated fat type foods), not doing enough exercise and complicated by genetics where people are predisposed to get the condition.

      Im not an expert but the key factors to reduce your chances of getting the disease is to eat healthily and have an active lifestyle.

      Obviously consult a medical doctor for further information.

    • Photo: Mark Hill

      Mark Hill answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      Hello Samyoung,

      I think you know probably more about this that I do. I am sorry if it has struck someone you know.

      I really don’t know why, but there are some thoughts that genetics and sometimes lifestyle may be linked. We all play a health lottery through life and some poeple are luckier than others.

      I am sorry that I cannot help further.

      Good luck.

      Mark.

Comments

  • Moderator - Sophia commented on :

    Jo Brodie from Diabetes UK has asked us to add the following comment to this answer:-

    Actually I think samyoung is asking about a form of diabetes known as MODY, which stands for “Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young”.

    MODY is a monogenic (caused by a single gene) form of diabetes and arises “…due to a change in a single gene that is passed from a parent carrying the affected gene to their child. All children of an affected parent have a 50% chance of inheriting the affected gene and developing MODY themselves.” Source: What is MODY?, Diabetes UK http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/What_is_diabetes/mody/What_is_MODY/

    We currently have information on six of the genes causing the different kinds of MODY that are currently known about, each caused by a change in that particular gene. Have a look at Diabetes Genes (http://www.diabetesgenes.org/), a website which is dedicated to the genetics of diabetes, and which has detailed information on MODY (http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/diabetesgenes/mody/index.htm) and other rare forms of diabetes.

    Regarding the answers given about Type 2 diabetes – it’s not necessarily helpful to blame lifestyle choices (some people might wish that they could have a healthy lifestyle but for whatever reason they’re not able to, or don’t know how to have one). Lifestyle (which can include the types of foods you eat in your diet and how much physical activity you do) is a modifiable (able to be changed) risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, but there are also risk factors that can’t be modified, such as your age, your ethnicity and your family history (ie your genetics).

    In fact the effect of genetics on someone’s risk of developing diabetes is strongest of all in the monogenic forms of diabetes such as MODY, then Type 2 and then Type 1 diabetes.

    Genes
    Type 1 diabetes
    On average:
    • if a mother has the condition, the risk of developing it is about 2 per cent
    • If a father has the condition, the risk of developing it is about 8 per cent
    • if both parents have the condition, the risk of developing it is up to 30 per cent
    • if a brother or sister develops the condition, the risk of developing it is 10 per cent
    (rising to 15 per cent for a non-identical twin and 40 per cent for an identical twin).

    Type 2 diabetes
    On average:
    • if either parent has the condition, the risk of developing it is 15 per cent
    • if both parents have the condition, the risk of developing it is 75 per cent
    • if a non-identical twin has the condition, the risk of developing it is 10 per cent
    • if an identical twin has the condition, the risk of developing it is 90 per cent.
    Source: p8 of Diabetes in the UK 2010, Diabetes UK (http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Documents/Reports/Diabetes_in_the_UK_2010.pdf).

    And, as already mentioned, someone with just one parent who has MODY has a 50 per cent chance of developing MODY themselves.

    Jo

    Jo Brodie
    Science Information Officer, Diabetes UK – but I’m posting in a personal capacity 🙂