[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Food doesn't *cause* either type. Even bad fatty foods don't cause it. It's like saying water causes dehydration. It's the lack of water that causes dehydration. Food is a contributor to diabetes only if/when that food is abused / used in excess and IF the person is also genetically or otherwise vulnerable to developing diabetes. It's never just the normal use of food. Obesity is a huge factor, and obesity is *not* always caused by just food - sometimes it's solely caused by genetic disorders (often linked to Leptin etc). Type 2 can also be secondary to certain other diseases; it also can be caused/triggered/secondary to medications one takes (which is really the most tragic, in my mind). And btw, type 2 is also genetic, not just type 1. Type 2 is less vulnerable to genetics than type 1, but it's still about 10% influenced by genetics (and that's statistically meaningful). Thin people can have either Type 1 or 2. Many Type 1 brittle diabetics are often quite thin (but not always).

Like we learned in nursing school at length, pretty much all diseases (esp diabetes) is a matter of nature and nurture - in other words, genetics and lifestyle. In the medical world, none of us would ever say it's caused by food bc that's technically and medically incorrect. In layperson's terms, it's correct to say that food can be a *contributor* if abused and/or if the person is vulnerable to getting diabetes (which, btw, most of us don't even know until after the fact).

I would really be interested to know the percentage of people who have diabetes 1 or 2 that doesn't have anything to do with eating fast food or bad for you food. I know that's probably impossible to get that info, but it's really hard for me to believe that people with Type 2 don't have issues with food. Why are so many first to claim genetics and not their decisions.