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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Design strategies and therapeutic applications of smart materials in diabetes care

Announcing a new publication for Acta Materia Medica journal. Bioresponsive materials have gained prominence as innovative tools for advancing drug delivery systems, particularly in managing type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

12 Jul 2025

Genetic links between type 2 diabetes and subcortical brain structure revealed

Recently, the team led by Chief Physician Quan Zhang and Associate Professor Feng Liu at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital systematically evaluated the genetic associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus and subcortical brain structures using large-scale genome-wide association summary statistics and advanced statistical genetic methods.

11 Jul 2025

Early-onset diabetes rates soar among young adults in Sweden

Early-onset type 2 diabetes nearly doubled in Sweden between 2006 and 2021, with the sharpest increases among young adults, ethnic minorities, and those with lower education. Projections show early-onset T2D could triple by 2050, posing a major public health challenge.

10 Jul 2025

How a simple blood test can forecast future health risks

Plasma proteomics reveals that the biological ages of key organs, especially the brain and immune system, strongly predict the risk of future disease and early death. These organ-specific “clocks” provide a new tool for identifying those at highest risk and personalizing preventive care.

10 Jul 2025

Weight loss wipes out senescent fat cells but leaves immune scars, study finds

Researchers have mapped human fat tissue at single-cell resolution, uncovering how obesity alters cellular stress, inflammation, and tissue structure. Weight loss reverses much of this damage, especially senescence in fat and vascular cells, but leaves some immune dysfunction behind.

10 Jul 2025

Lower body temperature found to directly influence glucose metabolism in mice

Some mammals are capable of hibernating during periods of low food availability in an effort to conserve energy and survive.

10 Jul 2025

New molecule linked to muscle loss in people with type 2 diabetes

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered a previously unknown molecule that may explain why people with type 2 diabetes often suffer from muscle weakness and muscle loss - a condition that has a major impact on quality of life and overall health.

10 Jul 2025

Biological age of the brain emerges as a powerful predictor of longevity

The candles on your birthday cake don't tell the whole story. As anyone who ever attended a high-school reunion can tell you, some people age faster than others.

10 Jul 2025

Weight loss triggers cell renewal and fat recycling in human tissue

Scientists have produced the first detailed characterization of the changes that weight loss causes in human fat tissue by analyzing hundreds of thousands of cells.

10 Jul 2025

Warming temperatures and CO2 levels threaten food quality

New preliminary research suggests that a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures contribute to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with serious implications for human health and wellbeing.

9 Jul 2025

Digital platform supports personalized diet goals in primary care for diabetes

A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, evaluated the feasibility of Nutri, a user-centered digital platform designed to support personalized, evidence-based diet goal setting during routine primary care visits for patients with type 2 diabetes.

9 Jul 2025

Innovative genome editing approach could be the key to lifelong effective weight management

Weight-loss drugs have surged in popularity, promising rapid results with regular injections. Now, researchers from Japan report a way for the body to make its own weight-loss drugs, doing away with injections in favor of a one-time treatment.

9 Jul 2025

Study finds no metabolic danger from ultra-processed foods

Research shows ultra-processed foods contribute to poor diet quality without a significant association to metabolic syndrome among European children and adults.

9 Jul 2025

Many Americans misunderstand the health impact of processed foods

Thirty-nine percent of respondents to an online poll incorrectly said all processed foods are unhealthy, according to new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published today, July 8, 2025, in JAMA Network Open.

9 Jul 2025

Salivary enzyme levels rise with gene variation in diabetics

This research highlights the association between AMY1 gene copy number and salivary enzyme activity, with implications for glucose homeostasis in diabetes.

8 Jul 2025

Tirzepatide tops the charts for blood sugar and weight loss in type 2 diabetes

A large network meta-analysis ranked eight GLP-1 receptor agonists for glycemic, weight, and safety outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide demonstrated the greatest efficacy for glucose control and weight loss, while liraglutide offered the lowest hypoglycemia risk.

7 Jul 2025

Excess weight linked to breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women with cardiovascular disease

New research reveals that excess weight is linked to an especially high risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women with cardiovascular disease.

7 Jul 2025

Flavonoid diversity, not just quantity, drives better health outcomes

This study reveals that diverse flavonoid intake is crucial for lowering chronic disease risk and mortality, advocating for a varied diet rich in flavonoids.

7 Jul 2025

Study elucidates relationship between Type 2 diabetes and salivary enzyme gene

A new Cornell University study brings additional clarity to the relationship between Type 2 diabetes and genes that express a salivary enzyme that breaks down starch.

4 Jul 2025

Long-term study confirms lasting benefits of lifestyle changes in preventing diabetes

In the early 2000s the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a large randomized clinical trial, showed that intensive lifestyle modification was better than a medication called metformin at preventing at-risk patients from developing Type 2 diabetes.

3 Jul 2025