by Wesley W. Wilson, MD
NOTE: If you have any questions for "Ask the Doctor," please send them to the Voice editorial office. The only questions Dr. Wilson will be able to answer are the ones used in this column.
Wesley W. Wilson, MD, has retired as an Internal Medicine practitioner at the Western Montana Clinic in Missoula, Montana. Dr. Wilson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1956, during his second year of medical school. He remains interested and involved in diabetes education for patients and professionals.
Q: A lot of people in my family have diabetes -- but I don't. I know I'm at higher statistical risk -- but what about my son? Since his mother (me) doesn't have it, is he at higher risk of developing diabetes?
A: All members of your family are at significantly higher risk of developing diabetes. I can't give you an exact answer (there are lots of statistics), but would rather leave it general and just warn that both you and your son are more likely to develop diabetes than a person who has no history of diabetes in the family.
Since the risk is increased, and you know it, now is the time to do everything possible to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. You and your son should be maintaining an ideal weight (your doctor can help you establish just what this should be) and should be getting daily regular exercise. A very large study in England showed that even persons who were already overweight, and had slightly elevated blood sugars, were able to reduce their risk of developing diabetes -- if they achieved a very modest weight loss coupled with mild exercise such as one half-hour of walking every day.
It's hard to think of harmful side effects from such a program and there are very big benefits from avoiding diabetes or even delaying the onset of diabetes. It seems to me that it's much better to do the things that can avoid diabetes than to worry about what might develop.