Could you get diabetes from eating too much sugar? Here's the truth...

You’ve probably heard that you could wind up with diabetes if you eat too much sugar...  

Dr. Steven Edelman, founder of “Taking Control of Your Diabetes,” says that’s a myth. There is no direct link between eating excessive amounts of sugar and developing diabetes. BUT – he says if you’re already at risk for type 2 diabetes and you become overweight or obese from all that sugar – or too much of anything – you can bring on diabetes. 

Risk factors for diabetes include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or a family history of type 2 diabetes. People of African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander or Asian-Indian descent are also at an increased risk. Dr. Edelman says if you have none of those risk factors, gaining weight from overindulging in sugar is not likely to lead to diabetes – but it can contribute to other health problems, such as heart disease and cancer -- so it’s still best to eat sweets only in moderation.