"All in the Family" was a hilarious take on the tough times that a child (Gloria), son-in-law (Meathead), and parents (Archie and Edith) can encounter. But there's nothing funny about the way family members can increase their near-and-dear's risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes reveals that 75% of people at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes are living in the same house as someone who already has full-blown Type 2, or is also at risk for developing the disease.

Why is diabetes "contagious" in this way?

Although genetic predispositions contribute to risks for Type 2 diabetes, your genes are empowered when they interact with shared lifestyle habits that encourage the condition to develop.

Those habits include sedentary behavior, poor nutrition, chronic stress, damaging sleep styles, and/or smoking and excess alcohol use.

No wonder that in this study, obesity and excess weight affected 65% of adults and 35% of children with Type 2 diabetes or at risk for it.

If Type 2 diabetes is "all in your family," it's smart to make lifestyle changes to transform your future.

According to a study in Annals of Internal Medicine, adopting a Mediterranean diet combined with calorie reduction and exercise — and working with a weight-loss specialist — can reduce your diabetes risk by 31%.

For more ways to avoid chronic diseases such as diabetes, check out my book "This is YOUR Do-Over." And for help upgrading your family's nutrition, check out the "What to Eat When Cookbook."