No one knows exactly what causes diabetes. But scientists are working hard to find out what’s behind it. We do know that some things, called risk factors, increase your risk of having type 2 diabetes. Some risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:

• Being over 45 years of age
• Being physically inactive
• Being overweight
• Having high blood pressure
• Having diabetes in the family
• Being a member of certain ethnic groups (for example, African American or Hispanic)
• Having had diabetes during a pregnancy, or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds