Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset or noninsulindependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which fat, muscle, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin. In time, however, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. People who are overweight and inactive are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, making wise food choices, exercising regularly, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and taking aspirin daily—for some.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a common metabolic condition that develops when the body fails to produce enough insulin or when insulin fails to work properly, which is referred to as insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that stimulates cells to uptake glucose from the blood to use for energy.

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Latest Type 2 Diabetes News and Research

GLP-1 therapies linked to fewer complications in adults with both obesity and autoimmune disease

Among adults with both obesity and an autoimmune disease, those taking a glucagon-like peptide-receptor 1 agonist (GLP-1RA) medication had lower rates of emergency department visits and were less likely to experience serious cardiac events, such as stroke, pulmonary embolism or death when compared to similar adults who were not taking these medications, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

7 Jun 2026

Infections pose major but overlooked risks in people with diabetes

Infections should be considered a "health hazard" in people living with diabetes, with experts warning that current clinical guidelines fail to reflect a substantial but under-recognized burden of illness, hospitalization and death.

7 Jun 2026

Major trials show finerenone preserves kidney function beyond diabetes

A series of major studies has shown that finerenone preserves kidney function, reduces cardiovascular risk, and improves survival across a much broader range of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) than it is currently recommended for.

5 Jun 2026

Common hypertension drugs tied to worse kidney outcomes in T2D patients

New research presented at the 63rd ERA Congress suggests that a widely used class of blood pressure medications may be associated with poorer kidney outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), even among patients already receiving modern kidney-protective treatments.

4 Jun 2026

Finerenone slows kidney function decline in non-diabetic patients

The drug finerenone significantly slows the decline in kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who do not have diabetes.

4 Jun 2026

What older adults eat may shape dementia risk

Higher ultraprocessed food intake was associated with increased risks of dementia, cognitive impairment with no dementia, and the combined outcome among older US adults in the Health and Retirement Study. Minimally processed food intake showed the opposite pattern, although the observational findings require cautious interpretation because diet was self-reported and cognitive outcomes were not clinically diagnosed.

4 Jun 2026

EULAR 2026 highlights rising comorbidity risks in rheumatic disease

People with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are at risk of a number of comorbidities, from cardiovascular diseases to cognitive impairment and fractures.

4 Jun 2026

Real-world study exposes suboptimal adherence to treat-to-target rheumatic strategies

EULAR - The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology - acknowledges the role of diverse real-world data to complement knowledge from randomized controlled trials.

4 Jun 2026

Semaglutide boosts well-being among patients with diabetes and CKD

New findings from the landmark FLOW trial, presented at the 63rd ERA Congress, show that once-weekly semaglutide significantly improved health-related quality of life in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), equivalent to around eight additional days in full health per year.

3 Jun 2026

Higher genetic pulse pressure risk associated with dementia-related mortality

When looking at genetic variants in a person's DNA that predispose them to disease, a new study has found having a higher number of genetic variants for increased pulse pressure is associated with a small, increased risk of dementia as a contributing cause of death.

3 Jun 2026

Americans view ultraprocessed foods as addictive and harmful

Across partisan lines, Americans broadly believe ultraprocessed foods are addictive and harmful – expressing attitudes strikingly like those that spurred regulation of the tobacco industry, new Cornell University-led research finds.

3 Jun 2026

Continuing gout therapy during remission lowers future flare risk

The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology - held its 2026 annual Congress in London, where gout was high on the agenda.

3 Jun 2026

Is any level of alcohol safe? Major review reveals where drinking risks rise

This Burden of Proof review found that alcohol consumption is associated with higher risks for several cancers, liver disease, pancreatitis, lower respiratory infections, tuberculosis, and atrial fibrillation. Although low-to-moderate drinking showed modest observational links with lower risks of type 2 diabetes, dementia, and some cardiovascular outcomes, the evidence was weaker and potentially biased.

2 Jun 2026

AI-assisted model based on blood proteins could help predict retinal degeneration in diabetics

An AI-assisted model based on 71 different blood proteins could help doctors better predict retinal degeneration in diabetic patients before symptoms occur, according to a study published June 2nd in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Huangdong Li from the Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases in Guangzhou, China, and colleagues.

2 Jun 2026

GLP-1 medications linked to lower breast cancer risk in women

A retrospective analysis of more than 110,000 women between the ages of 45 and 80 found that those who took GLP-1 medications were about 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who did not take GLP-1 medications, according to research presented today at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract 10506) by Elizabeth McDonald, MD, PhD, a professor of Radiology in the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and a practicing breast radiologist at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.

2 Jun 2026

Bariatric surgery improves long-term ability to manage household tasks

People who undergo bariatric surgery and see substantial weight loss are better able to cope with household tasks such as cleaning, laundry and grocery shopping.

1 Jun 2026

Survey reveals critical knowledge gaps in maternal health recommendations

Most Americans know that how well a mother takes care of herself before and during pregnancy affects the health of a baby, but many people remain unclear about some specific maternal health recommendations, including when to start avoiding alcohol, according to a new nationally representative survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

29 May 2026

Gut microbes may reveal who is at risk of type 2 diabetes years before diagnosis

A large Swedish prospective cohort study found that specific gut microbial species and metabolic pathways measured years before diagnosis were associated with future type 2 diabetes risk. The findings suggest that gut microbiome composition and functional potential may help explain T2D development, but replication is needed before clinical use.

28 May 2026

How common spices may improve gut, brain, and metabolic health

The health effects of spices are explored, revealing their potential to influence blood sugar, inflammation, and brain function through various mechanisms.

28 May 2026

Scientists rethink GLP-1 delivery to improve dosing, tolerability, and adherence

The review highlights nanocarriers, microspheres, hydrogels, microneedles, long-acting formulations, and co-formulations as promising but mostly early-stage strategies that still require stronger long-term clinical evidence.

27 May 2026