The nature versus nurture argument is one of the oldest discussions in psychology. The debate revolves around the contributions of environmental factors and genetic inheritance to the growth and development of human beings (Zaky, 2015). Different branches of science rely on one part of the discussion. Nature is the influence of biological factors and genetic inheritance while nurture is the influence of external factors such as experience, exposure, and learning. This discussion is used in explaining medical conditions such as medical disorders and diseases such as diabetes. The position of medical professionals on this discussion can influence the kind of treatments and plan of care they recommend to their patients.
Among the different types of diabetes, type 2 diabetes is said to have the greatest impact globally. This type of diabetes is associated with obesity and is often accompanied by other conditions such as hypertension and macrovascular diseases. Families and individuals with such conditions are said to have higher chances of insulin resistance. Nature and nurture are used as explanations for diabetes. Earlier research that checked the development of diabetes using twins, families, and other population studies showed that people of close genetic relationships are more likely to have similar glucose tolerance levels. For instance, identical twins showed a higher genetic relationship than fraternal twins. Also, the study found that there were differences in diabetes prevalence between people of different ethnic groups who lived in similar environments (McCarthy & Menzel, 2001). As such, this argument shows an evidence of genetic contribution in people with diabetes. Non-genetic factors have also been associated with the development of diabetes. Such environmental factors include lifestyle related causes like diet and physical activity. This is supported by the significant increase of diabetes when people move from rural to other urban settings or switch to less physical activity patterns.
Research shows that diabetes is a lifestyle disease that can be prevented by implementing certain lifestyle interventions including a change in diet and an increase in physical activity. These interventions have been proven to be effective by significantly reducing the cases of diabetes in China by 28.5 percent (Alouki, Delisle, Bermúdez-Tamayo, & Johri, 2016). This has led to the development of diabetes prevention programs in other countries such as the Diabetes Prevention Program and Outcomes Study in the United States. Since obesity is a risk factor associated with diabetes, the implementation of interventions aimed at helping people lose weight is important in preventing diabetes. Another study shows that cholesterol levels are associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes. Cholesterol is said to stimulate the release of pancreatic insulin which could affect the amount of glucose that a person can consume safely.
In support of the nature argument, research shows that people can be genetically predisposed to diabetes even without the influence of other environmental factors. Type 1 diabetes is a common chronic disease that affects 0.4 percent of children with a lifetime risk of 1 percent (Rich, 2006). This diabetes results from the autoimmune ruining of pancreatic cells which make a person rely on exogenous insulin to control their glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 since in this case, the pancreatic cells are progressively unable to release enough insulin to cater for the ingested carbohydrates. This progressive change is said to be related to other factors such as aging, reduced activity, and obesity. As such, the genetic contribution in developing type 2 diabetes is less in comparison to that of type 1 diabetes. It is, however, evident that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at least partially genetically determined. It is important to note that the genes that contribute to type 1 diabetes are different from those that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
In conclusion, the nature versus nurture discussion is used in different arguments in an attempt to understand how things come into existence. This discussion has helped in the development of the right programs and treatment plans for most diseases. The identification of genes that make people predisposed to certain diseases means that medical professionals can find ways to reduce this risk. Also, identification of environmental factors leads to the implementation of the right programs to reduce the development of certain conditions or diseases.
References
Alouki, K., Delisle, H., Bermúdez-Tamayo, C., & Johri, M. (2016). Lifestyle interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of economic evaluation studies. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2016, Article ID 2159890, 1-14.
McCarthy, M., & Menzel, S. (2001). The genetics of type 2 diabetes. British journal of clinical pharmacology, 51(3), 195-199.
Rich, S. S. (2006). Genetics of diabetes and its complications. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 17(2), 353-360.
Zaky, E. A. (2015). Nature, Nurture, and Human Behavior; an Endless Debate. Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior, 3(6), e107.
