Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your blood glucose (sugar) levels keep rising due to the insulin your pancreas makes either not working correctly, or your pancreas being unable to make enough insulin.
Know your risk of Type 2 diabetes
The most important thing you can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes is by knowing your risks.
You can find out your risks using the Diabetes UK ‘Know Your Risk’ tool.
Risk factors of Type 2 diabetes
The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are not always obvious. That’s why it is so important to be aware of the factors that may increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Risk factors include:
- your age
- if you have a parent, brother, sister or child with diabetes
- your ethnicity
- high blood pressure
- being overweight
Learn more about the risk factors of Type 2 diabetes.
Managing Type 2 diabetes
Some people can manage the condition by making healthy lifestyle changes such as eating a balanced diet, increasing their levels of physical activity or by losing weight. However, most people eventually need some form of medication to help control their blood sugar.
Learn more about managing Type 2 diabetes by visiting the Diabetes UK website.
Can Type 2 diabetes be cured?
There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, however some people can put their diabetes into remission. This means that they are able to control their blood sugar levels and keep it below the diabetes range, sometimes without having to take any diabetes medication.
Learn more about diabetes remission here.
Treating Type 2 diabetes
For those living with Type 2 diabetes, lots of people can treat their condition by eating healthily and doing regular exercise. For others, the use of insulin or diabetes medication may be necessary to help manage their diabetes.
Learn more about diabetes treatments.
Signs and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes
Commons symptoms of diabetes include:
- going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
- feeling really thirsty
- feeling more tired than usual
- losing weight without trying
The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are often missed as they develop more slowly and are not as obvious as the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes.
Learn about the symptoms of diabetes.
