Table 1-1. Continued
 Risk Factor Description
Gestational Some women develop gestational DM during pregnancy. It is more
Diabetes common when the baby is over 4kg (91bs). Nearly 40 percent of the
 women who have diabetes during their pregnancy go on to develop
 type 2 DM later, usually within five to ten years of giving birth.
Impaired Occurs when the level of glucose in the blood is higher than normal
Glucose but not in the diabetic range. An estimated one in ten progress to
Tolerance (IGT) type 2 DM within five years.
Polycystic Ovary PCO is a condition where a woman of childbearing age does not
Syndrome (PCO) ovulate, or the eggs or ova are not released from the ovary. This
 causes cysts in the ovaries to develop and the level of male
 hormones, such as testosterone, to become elevated in the
 bloodstream. It is estimated that 30-50% of women with PCO will
 have impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes by the age of 30.
Physical Lack of aerobic exercise and weight training.
Inactivity
Damage to the Alcohol, trauma, pancreatitis, and perhaps some toxins are capable
Pancreas of damaging the pancreas.
Race/Ethnicity In some ethnic groups type 2 DM is more common and develops at
 an earlier age. Being of Aboriginal, African, Latin American,
 American Indian, Pacific Islander, or Asian ethnic ancestry increases
 the risk of developing of type 2 DM. This may be due to genetic
 differences, differences in eating habits and foods, and/or less
 physical activity. This is particularly the case when people migrate
 to live in a western culture and adopt the diet and lifestyle of the
 new country, or move from rural areas to the city. This often results
 in people consuming an increased intake of high fat convenience
 foods and leading a less active lifestyle.
Source: About.com and the CDC: National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2002.

 Gestational DM is a form of glucose intolerance that is diagnosed in some women

during pregnancy. Gestational DM occurs more frequently among African Americans,

Hispanic/Latino Americans, and Native Americans [6, 10]. It is also more common

among obese women and women with a family history of diabetes. During pregnancy,

gestational diabetes requires treatment to normalize maternal blood glucose levels to

avoid complications in the infant. Gestational diabetes occurs in 4% of pregnant women

[11] with no previous diabetes history and is usually self-correcting after pregnancy [12].

However, mothers with gestational diabetes are at a greater risk for developing Type II