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

Study links GLP-1 treatment to fewer alcohol drinking days

Current GLP-1 receptor agonist prescriptions were associated with modestly lower AUDIT-C scores in a large, diverse US cohort. The difference appeared to reflect less frequent drinking rather than fewer drinks per occasion or fewer binge-drinking episodes.

13 Jul 2026

Cold-exposed mothers pass metabolic protection to male rat offspring through milk

Maternal cold exposure during early pregnancy improved glucose control and reduced liver fat in male rat offspring, with benefits persisting into late adulthood. The findings implicate a breast milk LCA, gut microbiota, and Th17 immune pathway, while human cohort data showed an observational link between winter conception and lower MASLD risk.

12 Jul 2026

Genetic risk knowledge alone fails to curb obesity, study shows

Does informing people about their genetic risk of obesity help them change their habits and lose excess weight? A study, published in the journal Obesity Reviews by scientists including researchers from SWPS University, shows that knowledge about one's genes alone is not enough.

11 Jul 2026

GLP-1RAs linked to lower risk of amputation in diabetes with PAD

Research indicates GLP-1RAs may decrease limb complications in type 2 diabetes with PAD, though more randomized studies are required to confirm efficacy.

10 Jul 2026

GLP-1 exposure in pregnancy does not clearly raise major birth defect risk

A systematic review and meta-analysis of seven cohort studies involving more than 40,000 GLP-1 receptor agonist-exposed pregnancies found no statistically significant increase in major congenital malformations or several other adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the evidence was low or very low certainty, and a urinary malformation signal based on unadjusted data requires cautious interpretation.

10 Jul 2026

Semaglutide outperforms other GLP-1 drugs for weight loss in psychiatric populations

A network meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials found that once-weekly semaglutide showed the largest estimated weight-loss effect among GLP-1 receptor agonists tested in adults with mental illness and obesity or related metabolic risk. The authors cautioned that the findings remain preliminary because the evidence base was small, heterogeneous, and largely indirect.

9 Jul 2026

GLP-1 drugs may reduce lung scarring from Long COVID in diabetic patients

GLP-1 agonists have become popular treatments for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, and newer studies suggest other health benefits as well.

9 Jul 2026

Medicare prescriptions for Wegovy spike after heart disease coverage expansion

Medicare prescriptions for Wegovy increased sharply after the program started covering the anti-obesity medication to prevent heart problems, but just a fraction of beneficiaries likely eligible received the treatment, according to new research from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics.

9 Jul 2026

Nine gut bacteria linked to future type 2 diabetes risk

Research identifies specific gut microbes associated with future type 2 diabetes risk, emphasizing the impact of dietary fiber on microbiome health.

9 Jul 2026

Socioeconomic status brings unequal metabolic disease reductions across racial, ethnic groups

Higher socioeconomic status is not associated with equal reductions in rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity across all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to a new study published July 8, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Sara Cromer of Harvard Medical School, USA, and colleagues.

8 Jul 2026

Persistent high cortisol levels increase hypertension risk in patients with adrenal tumors

A major new study, published today in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology has shown that cortisol levels in patients with adrenal tumours are far less stable than previously assumed.

7 Jul 2026

Updated ABCs framework gives clinicians a clearer path to prevent heart disease

A 2026 State-of-the-Art review updates the ABCs of cardiovascular disease prevention to help clinicians apply contemporary risk assessment, lifestyle, pharmacologic, and cardiometabolic strategies in routine care. The framework emphasizes PREVENT™ risk equations, Life’s Essential 8, CKM syndrome, obesity care, lipid lowering, blood pressure control, healthy aging, heart failure prevention, and atrial fibrillation management.

7 Jul 2026

Gut microbiome changes can signal future type 2 diabetes risk

The presence of certain bacteria in the gut microbiota, and fluctuations in a person's metabolism, can be seen in people who go on to develop type 2 diabetes years later.

7 Jul 2026

Sustainable oyster meat extract may reduce human intestinal inflammation

Ongoing research provides evidence that readily-available and sustainable oyster meat extract may have powerful anti-inflammatory effects on human intestinal cells.

7 Jul 2026

U.S. obesity rates rose sharply between 1999 and 2023

Obesity rates among U.S. adults and children rose sharply in recent years and by 2023, 40% of adults and 20% of youth met the criteria for obesity, according to new, independent research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

7 Jul 2026

Breaking up long periods of sitting is linked to lower cancer risk

The study highlights that how sedentary time is accumulated affects cancer risk, with prolonged sitting linked to higher risk and activity offering protection.

7 Jul 2026

Blood markers reveal metabolic impact of ultra-processed food consumption

Consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) results in a distinct metabolic 'signature' in the blood, associated with potentially adverse health conditions, a new study by an international team of researchers finds.

6 Jul 2026

Six weeks of shorter sleep increases weight and sedentary time

People who shortened their sleep by around 80 minutes a night for six weeks gained weight-one pound on average-and were more sedentary, researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have found.

6 Jul 2026

Meat and dairy cuts may improve health without raising food costs

A Scottish microsimulation study found that reducing meat and dairy intake, especially red meat among high consumers, could improve modeled health and environmental outcomes without increasing diet costs. However, some nutrient intakes, particularly calcium and iodine, declined, highlighting the need for carefully planned substitutions and fortified alternatives.

6 Jul 2026