More than 30 million Americans live with diabetes, with about 1.5 million new cases diagnosed each year.
What is type 2 diabetes?
The most common type of diabetes, type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when your blood sugar (also called blood glucose) is persistently elevated above the normal range over a long period of time. At the same time, your body either doesn’t use insulin properly or doesn’t make enough insulin. Our bodies need insulin to move glucose into cells so it can be used for energy.
“The problem is one of supply and demand,” says David Nathan, MD, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center. “Lots of people can have insulin resistance. But people who have diabetes can’t make enough insulin to meet that demand.”
Although type 2 diabetes generally develops in adults 45 and older, the age of onset has dropped as rates of childhood obesity has risen.
If blood sugar levels rise moderately over time, there may be no symptoms of type 2 diabetes. When there are, the symptoms are nonspecific and include increased thirst and urination, blurred vision, low energy levels, and sometimes weight loss.
More than 30 million Americans live with diabetes, with about 1.5 million new cases diagnosed each year.
What causes type 2 diabetes?
Both lifestyle and genes play a role in type 2 diabetes. The following may increase your risk:
- Family history: Having a parent or sibling who has type 2 diabetes
- Age: Being 45 or older
- Weight: Being overweight or obese, particularly if you have a high waist-to-hip ratio
- Inactivity: In addition to helping control weight, regular exercise can help lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity and uptake of glucose from the blood
- Race: African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander races have higher rates of type 2 diabetes
- Gestational diabetes: A diagnosis of diabetes during pregnancy or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes can go unnoticed if blood sugar levels elevate slowly over time. Or the symptoms may be so subtle and infrequent that you don’t notice them. Be mindful of the following symptoms, which may be signs of type 2 diabetes. If you notice a change in any of these, see your doctor.
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Weight loss
