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.

Insulin Resistance Pathophysiology

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Living With Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes Screening and Prevention

Insulin Medication

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Pathophysiology

Causes of Insulin Resistance

Insulin Resistance and Parkinson's Disease

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Latest Type 2 Diabetes News and Research

What diet do people with type 2 diabetes really want? Study reveals flexibility beats strict meal plans

A large UK survey of adults with type 2 diabetes found that most prefer flexible, food-based diets—particularly moderate calorie restriction or low-carbohydrate plans, over formula-based regimens. Preferences varied by age, lifestyle, and desired outcomes, underscoring the need for personalized dietary support.

11 Nov 2025

Financial incentives increase medication adherence but do not improve blood pressure outcomes

People with high blood pressure were twice as likely to take their blood pressure medication regularly when offered daily chances to win cash rewards, yet they did not achieve better blood pressure measurements compared to people who were not offered financial rewards, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Blue Zones and ACLM launch certification empowering clinicians to promote longevity and well-being

Blue Zones and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) today launched the "Blue Zones Certification Course for Physicians and Health Professionals."

11 Nov 2025

Study examines medication adherence in high-risk, low-income populations

People with high blood pressure were twice as likely to take their blood pressure medication regularly when offered daily chances to win cash rewards, yet they did not achieve better blood pressure measurements than people who were not offered financial rewards, a new study shows.

11 Nov 2025

Metformin shows promise in treating AFib recurrence after ablation

People with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and obesity may have fewer episodes of AFib after ablation if they take the diabetes medication metformin in addition to standard care, according to a preliminary, late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Novel triple receptor agonist shows potent efficacy in lowering high triglycerides

In a small, short duration trial (12 weeks), a new medication called DR10624 reduced triglyceride levels in most patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia by more than 60%, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Comparative study finds higher rates of adverse events with ticagrelor

One year of treatment with either of two strong blood-thinning medications—ticagrelor and prasugrel—by people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who had a drug-eluting stent placed in their heart to treat coronary artery blockages did not offer the same level of benefit to prevent stent clotting, heart attacks, and bleeding complications, according to findings presented during a preliminary late-breaking science session during the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025 in New Orleans on November 10.

10 Nov 2025

Ultra-processed food consumption increases the risk for prediabetes in young adults

More than half of calories consumed in the United States come from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), items like fast food and packaged snacks that are often high in sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats.

10 Nov 2025

Prasugrel shows advantage over ticagrelor in diabetic patients after stent placement

One year of dual antiplatelet therapy with one of two potent P2Y12 inhibitors-ticagrelor or prasugrel-in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who had received a drug-eluting stent did not offer the same level of benefit at preventing stent clotting, heart attacks and bleeding complications, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

10 Nov 2025

Healthy meal deliveries boost quality of life for people with heart failure

Providing healthy, medically tailored meals or boxes of fresh produce along with nutrition counseling with a dietitian led to improved quality of life for people with heart failure compared to people who received dietary counseling without healthy food deliveries, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

10 Nov 2025

MRI-based blood flow testing offers better answers for unexplained chest pain

Chest pain may still be angina even when coronary angiogram testing shows the main heart arteries look clear. Using stress cardiac stress MRI testing to measure blood flow around the heart appears to improve diagnosis and patient quality of life.

10 Nov 2025

GLP-1 drugs beat metformin for weight control in teens with type 2 diabetes

In youth newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1–based therapies, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, achieved similar blood sugar control but significantly greater reductions in body mass index than metformin. These findings highlight the potential of high-potency GLP-1 agents as effective monotherapy options in managing obesity and glycemic control in adolescents.

10 Nov 2025

Diabetes drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide show real-world heart benefits

In a large real-world analysis across three U.S. healthcare databases, semaglutide and tirzepatide showed cardiovascular benefits consistent with randomized trials. Semaglutide lowered heart attack and stroke risk versus sitagliptin, while tirzepatide performed comparably to dulaglutide and semaglutide over one year.

10 Nov 2025

Type 2 diabetes patients face an elevated risk of hearing loss

As the United States observes American Diabetes Month this November, a comprehensive study published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, reveals that individuals with type 2 diabetes face a significantly elevated risk of hearing loss-a complication that often goes unrecognized and unscreened.

10 Nov 2025

Weill Cornell scientists discover early step in fat cell inflammation leading to diabetes

Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have identified an early step in a cellular process that leads to inflammation in fat cells and may result in type 2 diabetes in people with obesity.

10 Nov 2025

Weight loss drugs used by patients with high triglycerides do not increase pancreatitis risk

In a major new study, researchers from Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City have found that weight loss drugs used by patients who have high triglycerides do not increase their risk of pancreatitis or adverse cardiac events.

10 Nov 2025

Genetic and cellular mechanisms underlying steatotic liver disease

Steatotic liver disease (SLD), mainly encompassing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), and metabolic dysfunction and ALD (MetALD), has emerged as the dominant cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, displacing viral hepatitis as the primary aetiology.

10 Nov 2025

How modern habits are reshaping the Mediterranean diet for the worse

Nearly all children and adolescents in five Mediterranean countries consume unhealthy ultra-processed foods daily, according to the DELICIOUS Project. The study links higher intake to obesity, older age, screen time, eating out, and exposure to food advertising.

9 Nov 2025

Preclinical evidence supports sotagliflozin's superior efficacy in attenuating salt-induced kidney damage

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes, have significant heart- and kidney- protective effects. In the kidney, SGLT2 reabsorbs approximately 97% offiltered glucose in the S1 and S2 segments of the proximal tubule, while SGLT1reabsorbs the remainder in the S3 segment.

8 Nov 2025

SGLT2 inhibitors show consistent cardio-renal protection in 70,000 patients

In late-breaking presentations at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week meeting and simultaneously published in two companion papers in JAMA, the findings are based on data from over 70,000 participants across 10 major randomised controlled trials. The meta-analyses were conducted by the SGLT2 Inhibitor Meta-analysis Cardio-Renal Trialists' Consortium (SMART-C), led by The George Institute for Global Health.

7 Nov 2025