I possibly have the dumbest question ever but here goes: can eating lots of sugar cause diabetes?

I figured this was the best place to ask. I've been craving chocolate, pastry over the last month and I've been reading things and I'm curious.

Mon. Apr 24, 10:36am

That's not a dumb question: the answer is extremely complex! Probably someone who has diabetes and knows all the info can fill you in better, but:

- There are a genetic components to both Type I and Type II diabetes.
- Type II diabetes (the kind you are asking about) develops insidiously, over much longer than a month.
- You may be at increased risk of Type II diabetes if you are very overweight, regardless of how much or how little refined sugar you eat.

Monday, April 24, 2006, 10:45 AM

This is never a dumb question! This is a great question that merits discussion. Would love some input from medical folks, anyone?

Monday, April 24, 2006, 6:08 PM

much like the 10:45 poster, i think that you need to know that diabetes is complex with genetic risk factors as well as other factors such as abdominal obesity being associated with insulin resistence, etc.
Just eating lots of sugar, short term in particular, hasn't been shown to contribute to development of diabetes. POssibly, in the long term, if taking into account abdominal obesity, inactivity, a whole spectrum on risk factors...then it could contribute. There is a hypothesis that long term high consumption of sugar, necessitates high production of insulin from the pancreas, which in turn could "wear out" the pancreas. As far as I know, this is only a hypothesis...far, far from a supported theory that can be directly applied to healthcare.
Also, recent studies seem to indicate that increased in take of saturated fat may contribute to insulin resistence.
hope this helps
Lisa

Monday, April 24, 2006, 9:33 PM

Just a quick note to mention that it is important to distinguish between the two types of Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 diabetes are completely seperate diseases. Type 1 diabetics do not have "abdominal obesity, inactivity or eat lots of sugar" contributing to their diagnosis. I do not know much about type 2 diabetes and can not answer the original question but please do not lump us all together.

Sincerely,

A Type 1 Diabetic for 31+ years

Monday, April 24, 2006, 10:19 PM

I don't think anybody here has the information completly accurate but I found a website that can explain better. I chose to do a search rather than give information that I already know because I know it will be more credible and it will be more complete.

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/what.htm

Tuesday, April 25, 2006, 1:07 PM

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