---
title: "Is Type 2 Diabetes Hereditary? | Sutter Health"
description: "I'm a woman and diabetes runs in my family. So I've made an effort to watch what I eat, keep my weight down, and exercise. But now I've read that with a family history, my risk of pre-diabetes is increased - even if I'm slim. How can I prevent this?"
url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361"
---

1.  Home /
2.  Is Type 2 Diabetes Hereditary?

# Is Type 2 Diabetes Hereditary?

* * *

Medically reviewed by

-   Joyce Giammattei, DrPH, RD, CDE

## Question

I'm a woman and diabetes runs in my family. So I've made an effort to watch what I eat, keep my weight down, and exercise. But now I've read that with a family history, my risk of pre-diabetes is increased - even if I'm slim. How can I prevent this?

## Answer

Type 2 diabetes does run in families. Genetics plays a part in increasing one's risk for developing the disease but there are other risk factors involved.

Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes. A study called the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) found that high-risk people can delay or avoid developing type 2 diabetes by losing weight through regular physical activity and eating a diet low in fat and calories and high in fiber.

What you are doing is important in preventing or delaying the development of diabetes.

## Explore related topics

Diabetes

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Is Type 2 Diabetes Hereditary?"}]}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361","name":"Is Type 2 Diabetes Hereditary?","description":"Type 2 diabetes does run in families. Genetics plays a part in increasing one's risk for developing the disease but there are other risk factors involved.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#question","name":"Is Type 2 Diabetes Hereditary?","text":"I'm a woman and diabetes runs in my family. So I've made an effort to watch what I eat, keep my weight down, and exercise. But now I've read that with a family history, my risk of pre-diabetes is increased - even if I'm slim. How can I prevent this?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#answer","text":"Type 2 diabetes does run in families. Genetics plays a part in increasing one's risk for developing the disease but there are other risk factors involved. Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes. A study called the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) found that high-risk people can delay or avoid developing type 2 diabetes by losing weight through regular physical activity and eating a diet low in fat and calories and high in fiber. What you are doing is important in preventing or delaying the development of diabetes.","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361","author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#expert"}}},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"reviewedBy":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#expert"}}
```

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/is-type-2-diabetes-hereditary-1051061361#expert","name":"Joyce Giammattei","honorificSuffix":["DrPH","RD","CDE"]}
```