Environmental Factors

In addition to the genetic factors that can lead to diabetes, there are many environmental factors that play a role in the development of diabetes mellitus. Also, there are different factors that come into play that differ between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

In general, the reason that there are environmental factors that can trigger the onset of diabetes stem from the fact that many times the genetic mutations that cause diabetes mellitus are activated by particular environmental factors. Often, people with a predisposition for diabetes, usually known through a family history of the disease, will want to avoid as many of these environmental triggers as possible, in order to prevent or delay the onset of the disease.

General Environmental Factors

The following are environmental factors that may alter the likelihood of the onset of Diabetes Mellitus.

• For infants, additional supplements of Vitamin D may reduce the risk of Type 1 Diabetes
• Type 1 Diabetes may develop more often in people who have had a greater exposure to proteins found in cow's milk. However, this correlation between Type 1 Diabetes and cow's milk has not yet been confirmed.
• Enteroviral infections may in some way affect the development of Type 1 Diabetes, even though they do not necessarily cause the onset of diabetes. The virus Coxsackie B appears to trigger Type 1 Diabetes particularly often.
• Frequent exercise and a healthy body weight can often prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

It is also important to note that the heritability of Type 1 Diabetes is much higher than the heritability of Type 2 Diabetes. As a result, Type 2 Diabetes is often more preventable, since much of the cause of Type 2 Diabetes is simply environmental.