To fight diabetes, patients can make changes in diet and exercise, take medication, or in some cases, undergo weight loss surgery. For the obese, surgery has been shown to cut both weight and diabetes risk.

Diabetes increases risk for heart disease, so a heart attack might be reason to test for diabetes. But it seems a heart attack was not enough for many doctors to take that closer look for diabetes.

When diseases are passed down through families, it's usually from parents to their children. But sometimes a daughter or son's poor health can put their parent's health at risk later in life.

Some people have genes that make them more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Weight loss, however, may be the most effective way to lower diabetes risk, regardless of genetic risk.

Women who have gestational diabetes during pregnancy have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Certain lifestyle changes may reduce that risk.

People with diabetes are at risk for heart disease. One gender may face a higher risk than the other.

People with diabetes who have had a heart attack face an even greater likelihood of having a second one. Keeping glucose levels under control through insulin therapy may reduce this risk.

Some diabetes patients believe eating five or six small meals a day helps control weight and boost metabolism. More evidence, however, is challenging the benefits of this meal plan.