Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRole of Genetics in DiabetesCan You Reduce Your Risk?Other Things to ConsiderNext in Diabetes GuideDiabetes Test Results: Types of Tests and How to Read Them
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Role of Genetics in Diabetes
Can You Reduce Your Risk?
Other Things to Consider
Next in Diabetes Guide
If you or someone in your family has diabetes, you might be wondering if it is genetic. There aredifferent types of diabetes. For each type, there are specific risk factors that make someone more likely to develop it.
This article discusses how genetics factor into diabetes development. It also covers the importance of screening and takes a closer look at how genetic testing is being used to diagnose specific types of diabetes.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
Diabetes Mellitus: What a Diagnosis Means for Your Health
The genes that have been identified have diverse functions and duties which can affect blood sugar (glucose) control. Such functions include controlling the release ofinsulin, pumping glucose into cells, and speeding up the breakdown of glucose.
But, in addition to genes, something in the environment must trigger diabetes to become active. Researchers have found a number of factors that could trigger type 1 diabetes in people who are predisposed to it, including:
These Self-Care Strategies Helped Me Manage Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune diseasein which the body mistakenly attacks the beta cells of the pancreas. As a result, the affected person must rely on insulin in the form of an infusion or injection to live. Roughly 1.6 million Americans are living with type 1 diabetes.
People genetically predisposed to type 1 diabetes have a higher chance of developing it, but that does not mean they absolutely will.
The risk of developing diabetes varies depending on a person’s relationship to a family member with the condition. For instance:
In addition, type 1 diabetes is most common among non-Hispanic whites, especially those of Northern European descent.This is connected to genes called HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR4, which are linked to autoimmune disease.
Suspect genes in other ethnic groups may put people at increased risk. For example, scientists believe that the HLA-DR7 gene may put Black people at risk, and the HLA-DR9 gene may put Japanese people at risk.
Genetic predisposition alone is not enough to cause type 1 diabetes. And some people can develop type 1 diabetes even though no one in their family has it. It is estimated that 85% of the people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes do not have a family history of the disease.
Life Expectancy With Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
Many people who have type 2 diabetesmay also have other underlying health conditions, such ashigh blood pressure,cholesterol, and excess weight in the abdominal area. In the past, type 2 diabetes was often referred to as adult diabetes, but it is now known that children can be affected too.
The genetic component of type 2 diabetes is complex and continues to evolve. Many genes have been identified in people with type 2 diabetes.
Some genes are related to insulin resistance, while others are related to beta cell function. Scientists continue to research genes involved in the development of type 2 diabetes and their role in disease progression and treatment.
Studies have shown a wide range of statistics for the heritability of type 2 diabetes—anywhere from 20% to 80% are thought to inherit it.
The lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes is 40% for individuals who have one parent with type 2 diabetes, and 70% if both parents are affected. People who have a first-degree relative with type 2 diabetes are estimated to be three times more likely to develop the disease.
But genetic factors are not the only risk. While type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history than type 1 diabetes, environmental andbehavioral factorsalso play a role. As such, interventions can help to prevent or delay a diabetes diagnosis.
Gestational Diabetes
Some of these hormones block the effect of insulin and can make after-meal blood sugars harder to control. This “contra-insulin effect” usually happens around 20 to 24 weeks of pregnancy, which is why people are screened for gestational diabetes at this time.
The US Preventive Services Task Force advises screening for diabetes in women who:
Normally, the pancreas will produce more insulin to make up for hormonal insulin resistance. For some people, their pancreas cannot keep up with insulin production, which results in elevated blood sugar and a gestational diabetes diagnosis.Most women who develop gestational diabetes will have no symptoms.
Several genes have been identified in people with gestational diabetes. Studies suggest there may be a link between genes for gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Many people diagnosed with gestational diabetes have a close family member such as a parent or sibling with the disease or another form of diabetes, such as type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes appears to run in families.
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing can be used to identify certain forms of diabetes that are monogenic, meaning that they are related to a change or defect in a single gene. Both neonatal diabetes and MODY are monogenic, and both tend to be incorrectly diagnosed.
Genetic testing is important for making a precise diagnosis, particularly for these monogenic types of diabetes. Furthermore, without a correct diagnosis, the affected person cannot get the proper treatment for the type of diabetes they have.
Physicians often recommend genetic testing when a diabetes diagnosis appears to be atypical. For example, a person who is around age 20 to 25, has abnormal blood sugars, and who does not have any typical risk factors for type 1 or type 2 diabetes, may have MODY.
Genetic diagnosis of MODY additionally allows for the identification of at-risk first-degree family members, who have a 50% chance of inheriting a gene mutation.
Unfortunately, insurance often denies coverage for genetic testing even when people fit the criteria, which can cause physicians to miss a MODY diagnosis. Researchers are continually trying to find ways to make genetic testing more cost-effective.
If you suspect that you or your child are at increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes, you might be eligible for a risk screening offered throughTrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study.
The screening is free for relatives of people with type 1 diabetes. It uses a blood test to detect diabetes-related antibodies, the presence of which means that the immune system has begun to attack cells in the pancreas. The screening can detect these antibodies years before diabetes symptoms even begin.
People found to be in the early stages of developing type 1 diabetes may also be eligible for the prevention study. Ask your healthcare provider whether genetic testing is available and how helpful it is in determining if you will get diabetes.
Whereas MODY and neonatal diabetes are monogenic, diabetes type 1 and type 2 are polygenic, meaning they are related to changes in multiple genes.
Currently, researchers do not feel that genetic testing is ready to diagnose type 2 diabetes. Because there are so many variants of genes and subtypes of type 2 diabetes, they feel as though better methods and more research need to be done in this area before putting it to practical use.
Similarly, genetic testing is not yet clinically useful for diagnosing polygenic gestational diabetes, as researchers have yet to identify a clear pattern of inheritance.
If you have a family history of gestational diabetes or type 2 diabetes, there are ways to reduce your risk of developing the disease.
Maintain a healthy weight or lose weight.If you are overweight, particularly in the abdominal area, losing weight will reduce your risk. Even modest weight reduction, about 5% to 10% weight loss, can reduce your risk.
While weight gain is important for a healthy pregnancy, people who are pregnant should try to gain weight slowly rather than excessively. This will help prevent gestational diabetes.
Stay active.Aim to exercise at least 150 minutes per week and avoid sitting for long periods of time.
Eat more plants.Add more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains to your diet, and cut out processed, pre-packaged foods where possible.
Screening
Because type 2 diabetes often takes years to develop, people can be walking around withimpaired glucose tolerance (insulin resistance) or prediabetesfor years without knowing it. If you catch this condition early, you may be able to prevent or delay diabetes from occurring.
Screening is recommended for the following groups:
Among this latter group, risk factors warranting screening include:
In addition, people with HIV, a history of pancreatitis, or use of certain high-risk medications such as atypical antipsychotics orglucocorticoidsshould be screened.
There are several tests that can alert you if you are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These includehemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Sometimes people who have a family history of gestational diabetes can develop diabetes during pregnancy despite their efforts to keep weight gain within a healthy range, exercise, and eat a fiber-rich diet. Do not beat yourself up if this happens.
Although type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented or cured, if you are genetically predisposed to type 1 diabetes, regular vaccinations and wellness visits will be important.
There is no vaccine to prevent type 1 diabetes, but some research suggests that viruses can trigger type 1 diabetes in people that are predisposed.Therefore, preventing catching these viruses may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Understanding thewarning signs of type 1 diabeteswill also help prevent a dangerous situation likediabeticketoacidosis.
Although there is no proven cure, scientists continue to make headway in developing better ways to manage diabetes. Additionally, organizations will continue to invest time into researching and developing ways to cure this disease.
Summary
Having a family history of diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop it. Scientists believe that diabetes develops when a person has a genetic predisposition to it then an interplay of environmental and/or lifestyle factors triggers it.
Genetic testing allows physicians to make the most precise diabetes diagnoses and to get their patients the right treatment for the type of diabetes they have. If you think you could be at risk for diabetes, talk to your healthcare provider about being screened. Doing so may catch diabetes early so that you can stop it from progressing.
A Word From Verywell
There are many different types of diabetes, so your risk depends on what type of diabetes you are genetically predisposed to. If you have concerns about your family history of diabetes, be sure to take it up with your medical team.
Genetic testing may not be helpful in certain instances; however, you may be screened for the disease. You will be educated on your individual risk, steps to take to prevent or delay it (if possible), and coping strategies.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Diabetes Association.Learn the genetics of diabetes.Fu Z, Gilbert ER, Liu D.Regulation of insulin synthesis and secretion and pancreatic Beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes.Curr Diabetes Rev. 2013;9(1):25-53.Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.Type 1 diabetes FAQ.Redondo MJ, Steck AK, Pugliese A.Genetics of type 1 diabetes.Pediatric Diabetes. 2018;19(3):346-353. doi:10.1111%2Fpedi.12597Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diabetes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About type 2 diabetes.Ali O.Genetics of type 2 diabetes.World J Diabetes. 2013;4(4):114-123. doi:10.4239/wjd.v4.i4.114Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).US Preventive Services Task Force.Screening for gestational diabetes - US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA. 2021;326(6):531-538. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.11922Kleinberger JW, Maloney KA, Pollin TI.The genetic architecture of diabetes in pregnancy: implications for clinical practice.Am J Perinatol. 2016;33(13):1319-1326. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1592078National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Symptoms & causes of gestational diabetes.Giannakou K, Evangelou E, Yiallouros P, et al.Risk factors for gestational diabetes: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.PLoS One. 2019;14(4):1-19. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215372National Institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases.Monogenic diabetes (neonatal diabetes mellitus & MODY).Naylor RN, John PM, Winn AN, et al.Cost-effectiveness of MODY genetic testing: translating genomic advances into practical health applications.Diabetes Care. 2014;37(1):202-209. doi:10.2337/dc13-0410Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet.T1D facts.Lyssenko V, Laakso M.Genetic screening for the risk of type 2 diabetes: worthless or valuable?.Diabetes Care. 2013;36(2):120-126. doi:10.2337/dcS13-2009Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-yGou BH, Guan HM, Ding BJ.Gestational diabetes: weight gain during pregnancy and its relationship to pregnancy outcomes.Chin Med J (Engl). 2019;132(2):154-160. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000000036American Diabetes Association.Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Diabetes Association.Learn the genetics of diabetes.Fu Z, Gilbert ER, Liu D.Regulation of insulin synthesis and secretion and pancreatic Beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes.Curr Diabetes Rev. 2013;9(1):25-53.Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.Type 1 diabetes FAQ.Redondo MJ, Steck AK, Pugliese A.Genetics of type 1 diabetes.Pediatric Diabetes. 2018;19(3):346-353. doi:10.1111%2Fpedi.12597Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diabetes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About type 2 diabetes.Ali O.Genetics of type 2 diabetes.World J Diabetes. 2013;4(4):114-123. doi:10.4239/wjd.v4.i4.114Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).US Preventive Services Task Force.Screening for gestational diabetes - US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA. 2021;326(6):531-538. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.11922Kleinberger JW, Maloney KA, Pollin TI.The genetic architecture of diabetes in pregnancy: implications for clinical practice.Am J Perinatol. 2016;33(13):1319-1326. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1592078National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Symptoms & causes of gestational diabetes.Giannakou K, Evangelou E, Yiallouros P, et al.Risk factors for gestational diabetes: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.PLoS One. 2019;14(4):1-19. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215372National Institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases.Monogenic diabetes (neonatal diabetes mellitus & MODY).Naylor RN, John PM, Winn AN, et al.Cost-effectiveness of MODY genetic testing: translating genomic advances into practical health applications.Diabetes Care. 2014;37(1):202-209. doi:10.2337/dc13-0410Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet.T1D facts.Lyssenko V, Laakso M.Genetic screening for the risk of type 2 diabetes: worthless or valuable?.Diabetes Care. 2013;36(2):120-126. doi:10.2337/dcS13-2009Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-yGou BH, Guan HM, Ding BJ.Gestational diabetes: weight gain during pregnancy and its relationship to pregnancy outcomes.Chin Med J (Engl). 2019;132(2):154-160. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000000036American Diabetes Association.Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Diabetes Association.Learn the genetics of diabetes.Fu Z, Gilbert ER, Liu D.Regulation of insulin synthesis and secretion and pancreatic Beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes.Curr Diabetes Rev. 2013;9(1):25-53.Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.Type 1 diabetes FAQ.Redondo MJ, Steck AK, Pugliese A.Genetics of type 1 diabetes.Pediatric Diabetes. 2018;19(3):346-353. doi:10.1111%2Fpedi.12597Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diabetes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About type 2 diabetes.Ali O.Genetics of type 2 diabetes.World J Diabetes. 2013;4(4):114-123. doi:10.4239/wjd.v4.i4.114Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).US Preventive Services Task Force.Screening for gestational diabetes - US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA. 2021;326(6):531-538. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.11922Kleinberger JW, Maloney KA, Pollin TI.The genetic architecture of diabetes in pregnancy: implications for clinical practice.Am J Perinatol. 2016;33(13):1319-1326. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1592078National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Symptoms & causes of gestational diabetes.Giannakou K, Evangelou E, Yiallouros P, et al.Risk factors for gestational diabetes: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.PLoS One. 2019;14(4):1-19. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215372National Institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases.Monogenic diabetes (neonatal diabetes mellitus & MODY).Naylor RN, John PM, Winn AN, et al.Cost-effectiveness of MODY genetic testing: translating genomic advances into practical health applications.Diabetes Care. 2014;37(1):202-209. doi:10.2337/dc13-0410Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet.T1D facts.Lyssenko V, Laakso M.Genetic screening for the risk of type 2 diabetes: worthless or valuable?.Diabetes Care. 2013;36(2):120-126. doi:10.2337/dcS13-2009Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-yGou BH, Guan HM, Ding BJ.Gestational diabetes: weight gain during pregnancy and its relationship to pregnancy outcomes.Chin Med J (Engl). 2019;132(2):154-160. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000000036American Diabetes Association.Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002
American Diabetes Association.Learn the genetics of diabetes.
Fu Z, Gilbert ER, Liu D.Regulation of insulin synthesis and secretion and pancreatic Beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes.Curr Diabetes Rev. 2013;9(1):25-53.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.Type 1 diabetes FAQ.
Redondo MJ, Steck AK, Pugliese A.Genetics of type 1 diabetes.Pediatric Diabetes. 2018;19(3):346-353. doi:10.1111%2Fpedi.12597
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diabetes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About type 2 diabetes.
Ali O.Genetics of type 2 diabetes.World J Diabetes. 2013;4(4):114-123. doi:10.4239/wjd.v4.i4.114
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
US Preventive Services Task Force.Screening for gestational diabetes - US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.JAMA. 2021;326(6):531-538. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.11922
Kleinberger JW, Maloney KA, Pollin TI.The genetic architecture of diabetes in pregnancy: implications for clinical practice.Am J Perinatol. 2016;33(13):1319-1326. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1592078
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Symptoms & causes of gestational diabetes.
Giannakou K, Evangelou E, Yiallouros P, et al.Risk factors for gestational diabetes: An umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.PLoS One. 2019;14(4):1-19. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215372
National Institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases.Monogenic diabetes (neonatal diabetes mellitus & MODY).
Naylor RN, John PM, Winn AN, et al.Cost-effectiveness of MODY genetic testing: translating genomic advances into practical health applications.Diabetes Care. 2014;37(1):202-209. doi:10.2337/dc13-0410
Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet.T1D facts.
Lyssenko V, Laakso M.Genetic screening for the risk of type 2 diabetes: worthless or valuable?.Diabetes Care. 2013;36(2):120-126. doi:10.2337/dcS13-2009
Ryan DH, Yockey SR.Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over.Curr Obes Rep. 2017;6(2):187-194. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0262-y
Gou BH, Guan HM, Ding BJ.Gestational diabetes: weight gain during pregnancy and its relationship to pregnancy outcomes.Chin Med J (Engl). 2019;132(2):154-160. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000000036
American Diabetes Association.Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
