ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — In the past 20 years, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 38 million adults in the U.S. have the disease. Type 2 accounts for 90% to 95% of all cases. There are some surprising things that could contribute to the increase.
Common risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, family history and age.
“Aging is one of the biggest risk factors for most of the chronic diseases,” said Hariom Yadav, Ph.D., a neurosurgeon at the University of South Florida Institute for Microbiomes.
Sugary drinks and processed foods are also linked to type 2 diabetes. But experts say it’s not only what you eat, but when you eat.
A study published in “Nutrition and Diabetes” found that people who eat 45% or more of their daily calorie intake after 5 p.m. had lower glucose tolerance. Over time, that can negatively impact metabolism and BMI.
“The gut influences very heavily of our whole-body physiology,” Yadav said.
Skipping breakfast four to five days a week is linked with a 55% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The Journal of Nutrition says not eating a morning meal can impact blood glucose levels. It can also increase eating later in the day.
“If you don’t eat, your body conserves and says, ‘I need energy. Where is the energy?’ And it can lower your metabolism,” said registered dietitian Tara Collingwood.
Poor sleep is also strongly linked to type 2 diabetes. According to the National Institutes of Health, sleep is essential to control hormones, including several connected to glucose metabolism.
NIH says women who deliver a baby weighing at least 9 pounds have a 20% higher chance of developing diabetes later in life.
Contributors to this news report include: Lindsay Dailey, producer; Roque Correa, editor.