Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, usually appears in adults, often in middle age. Type 2 diabetes is often linked with obesity and may be delayed or controlled with diet and exercise. (Obesity and physical inactivity are two risk factors for type 2 diabetes.) In a mild form, it can go undetected for many years. Untreated diabetes can lead to many serious medical problems, including cardiovascular disease.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Who is at risk for type 2 diabetes?
What are the signs of type 2 diabetes?
What can I do to prevent or delay the start of type 2 diabetes?
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes occurs in two ways:
- The body does not produce enough insulin.
- The cells ignore the insulin.
Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:
- Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
- Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.
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Who is at risk for type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes contributes to about 225,000 U.S. deaths per year. However, many people with type 2 diabetes are not aware they have the disease and may already have developed various complications associated with it.
Generally, type 2 diabetes occurs in older adults after age 40, but healthcare providers are finding more and more children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes. Diagnosing type 2 diabetes in children or adolescents is more difficult; it can go undiagnosed for a long time because there are often no symptoms.
Type 2 diabetes occurs most frequently in people who:
- Are over 45 years old;
- Are overweight;
- Are African American, Latino/Hispanic American, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander; and
- Have a family history of the disease.
Individuals with type 2 diabetes most often may be characterized as:
- Being insulin resistant (about nine out of 10 patients have insulin resistance);
- Being obese (about 50 percent of men and 70 percent of women who have diabetes are obese);
- Having a lifestyle that does not involve significant physical activity;
- Having low HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels; and
- Having an increased prevalence of high blood pressure.
Patients with diabetes are faced with the daily challenge to control blood glucose levels to prevent or delay the onset of many serious life-threatening health complications. Cardiovascular disease is one of the major risk factors for people with diabetes.
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What are the signs of type 2 diabetes?
According to the latest American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, about 6 million people 18 years and older in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Many people have no signs or symptoms or they can also be so mild that you might not notice them.
Symptoms include
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger
- Fatigue
- Increased urination, especially at night
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Sores that do not heal
Please see your healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms.
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What can I do to prevent or delay the start of type 2 diabetes?
You can do many things to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Many studies show that lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy and increasing physical activity can dramatically reduce the progression of type 2 diabetes. These lifestyle changes can affect your other risk factors as well, such as blood cholesterol and high blood pressure, which also have a tremendous impact on people with type 2 diabetes.
You should visit your healthcare provider to discuss your options for lifestyle management as well as medication treatment.
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Reduce your risk factors by learning more about each one:
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This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated 02/18/09.
