Is this topic for you?

This topic has general information about type 2 diabetes for people who do not have the disease. If you want to learn how to manage type 2 diabetes, one of the following topics may meet your needs:

• Type 2 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed, if you have been told recently that you have type 2 diabetes.
• Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease, if you have type 2 diabetes.
• Type 2 Diabetes in Children, if your child has type 2 diabetes.
• Type 2 Diabetes: Living With Complications, if you have eye, kidney, heart, nerve, or blood vessel disease caused by your diabetes.

If you are looking for information about type 1 diabetes, see the topic Type 1 Diabetes.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that happens when the cells of the body can't use insulin the right way or when the pancreas can't make enough insulin. Insulin lets blood sugar-also called glucose-enter the body’s cells to be used for energy. When insulin is not able to do its job, the cells can't get the sugar they need, and too much sugar builds up in the blood. Over time, this extra sugar in the blood can damage your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys.

More and more adults and children are getting type 2 diabetes. This is largely because of bad eating habits and a lack of physical activity. It is important to know if you or your children are at risk for type 2 diabetes and to know what you can do to help prevent the disease.

What causes type 2 diabetes?

You can get type 2 diabetes if:

• Your body does not respond as it should to insulin. This makes it hard for your cells to get sugar from the blood for energy. This is called insulin resistance.
• Your pancreas does not make enough insulin.

Your weight, how active you are, and your family history all affect the way your body responds to insulin. If you are overweight, get little or no exercise, or have family members with diabetes, you have a greater chance of getting type 2 diabetes.

What are the symptoms?

Some people don't have symptoms, especially when diabetes is diagnosed early. This is because the blood sugar level may rise so slowly that a person may not know that anything is wrong. Other people may have symptoms, such as:

• Being very thirsty.
• Urinating a lot.
• Losing weight without trying.
• Having blurry vision.
• Feeling hungrier or more tired than usual.

Sometimes a person finds out that he or she has type 2 diabetes during a regular medical checkup. Or people may find out that they have the disease during an appointment for another health problem such as high blood pressure, an infection, or a wound that heals slowly. Some people don't find out that they have diabetes until they have a complication from the disease, such as vision problems, kidney disease, nerve disease, or heart and blood vessel problems.

How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?