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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New clues in pancreas lymph nodes, spleen could help detect and prevent type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) impacts nearly two million Americans, and by the time most people learn they have it, most of the body's insulin-producing cells are destroyed.

22 Nov 2025

Combined healthy eating and exercise linked to greater reductions in visceral fat

Improving diet and increasing physical activity levels together may be more effective at preventing weight gain – particularly harmful fat inside the abdomen – than just changing one of these behaviours, new research from the University of Cambridge suggests.

21 Nov 2025

Reduced ketone body metabolism may be key to impaired energy production in type 2 diabetes

The liver plays a central role in storing and supplying energy to the body. In type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, commonly referred to as fatty liver disease), mitochondria-the cell's power plants-cannot switch efficiently between fuel sources.

21 Nov 2025

Ultraprocessed diets affect teens and young adults differently

A study reveals that adolescents consume more calories on ultraprocessed diets, highlighting a critical vulnerability in modern food environments.

21 Nov 2025

Oral GLP-1 pill shows strong weight loss and blood sugar benefits in adults with diabetes

A new oral GLP-1 medication can help adults with obesity and Type 2 diabetes lose more weight and improve their blood sugar levels compared to a placebo, according to findings from the ATTAIN-2 trial led by a UTHealth Houston researcher.

20 Nov 2025

UK Biobank releases the world’s largest metabolomic dataset for disease research

UK Biobank has today [Thursday 20 November] released the final set of data on nearly 250 metabolites – the molecules in our blood produced by our bodies as we go about our lives – in half a million volunteers.

20 Nov 2025

Study compares GLP-1 drug benefits and finds substantial variation in clinical effects

GLP-1 receptor agonists improve glycaemic control and provide renal, metabolic, and selective cardiovascular benefits in people with type 2 diabetes, based on an umbrella review of 17 meta-analyses. However, these agents consistently increase gastrointestinal adverse effects and show important distinctions between class-level outcomes and individual drug effects, particularly for semaglutide.

20 Nov 2025

Study develops highly accurate polygenic risk models tailored for Han Chinese populations

Researchers at Academia Sinica have developed the first population-specific polygenic risk score (PRS) models for people of Han Chinese ancestry, achieving unprecedented accuracy in predicting risks for common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders.

20 Nov 2025

Study compares the kidney, cardiovascular and mortality risks of three different GLP-1 RAs

Public interest in drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, also called GLP-1 RAs, has surged in recent years, with popular types like semaglutide (sold under brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) becoming known for their weight-loss effects.

20 Nov 2025

Study shows how ketogenic eating improves hormonal balance in PCOS

The very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet leads to meaningful reductions in weight, visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, and androgen excess in women with PCOS based on pooled randomized trials. Benefits appear consistent across studies, though high heterogeneity, short durations, and limited safety data highlight the need for longer-term comparative research.

19 Nov 2025

Study finds people with type 1 diabetes have higher bladder cancer risk

People with type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes) are 4.29 times more likely to develop bladder cancer, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

19 Nov 2025

Coffee protects the brain, metabolism, and immunity at the molecular level

This review uncovers the molecular networks of coffee's compounds, showcasing their antioxidant and neuroprotective effects on immunity and metabolism.

19 Nov 2025

Oral semaglutide delivers real-world drops in blood sugar and weight in diabetes trial

Oral semaglutide delivered meaningful reductions in HbA1c and body weight among GLP-1RA-naïve adults with type 2 diabetes in a Dutch real-world cohort. Lipid levels and blood pressure showed only small changes, reflecting modest cardiometabolic effects outside glucose and weight control.

18 Nov 2025

Experts call for bold policies to curb the health harms of ultra-processed foods

The increase of UPFs in diets worldwide presents an urgent challenge to health that demands coordinated policies and advocacy action to address, says a new three paper Series authored by 43 global experts and published in The Lancet. The Series exposes the tactics UPF companies use to drive consumption and prevent effective policy.

18 Nov 2025

Brain recordings reveal short-lived effects of tirzepatide on food cravings

A rare glimpse into the brain activity of a patient with obesity and loss of control eating on tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro and Zepbound, revealed that the medication suppresses signaling in the brain's "reward center" thought to be involved in food noise – but only temporarily.

17 Nov 2025

Are mushrooms more than a low-calorie food? New analysis explains their hidden advantages

Whole mushroom consumption shows consistent benefits for cardiometabolic health, lowering triglycerides in self-chosen diets and improving fasting glucose in a single healthy dietary pattern trial. Early evidence also suggests increases in salivary IgA and possible blood pressure improvements, with no adverse biomarker effects reported.

16 Nov 2025

Dash diet cuts diabetes complications by targeting blood pressure kidney health and inflammation

The DASH diet supports metabolic health in people with diabetes by improving blood pressure, renal function, lipids, and modest glycemic markers while reducing risks linked to vascular and inflammatory pathways. Its broad nutrient-driven mechanisms also benefit related conditions such as neuropathy, PCOS, and retinopathy, making it a versatile tool for cardiometabolic care.

16 Nov 2025

WHO releases first global guidelines for managing diabetes during pregnancy

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its first global guidelines for the management of diabetes during pregnancy, a condition affecting about one in six pregnancies – or 21 million women annually.

14 Nov 2025

Understanding leptin's dual function in MAFLD pathogenesis

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has emerged as a predominant chronic liver condition globally, intricately linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome.

14 Nov 2025

Off-label GLP-1 use highlights the cultural pressures driving body anxieties

New obesity drugs that were designed to treat diabetes and obesity are increasingly being used off-label by people without these conditions to achieve slimness and social approval rather than health gains. This perspective maps how such pharmacological thinness interacts with stigma, beauty ideals, digital culture, and inequality, and calls for multinational, intersectional research to understand its full impact.

13 Nov 2025