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.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Pathophysiology

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

Type 2 Diabetes Screening and Prevention

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Living With Type 2 Diabetes

Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes

Is a Plant-Based Diet Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

Are Low Carbohydrate Diets Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

What is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin Resistance Pathophysiology

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Latest Type 2 Diabetes News and Research

Study: Gut microbiome can predict changes in Type 2 diabetes related glucose regulation

A study carried out by researchers from the Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu revealed that human gut microbiome can be used to predict changes in Type 2 diabetes related glucose regulation up to four years ahead.

1 Mar 2021

New tool predicts trends and outcomes in individual patients

Clinical research requires that data be mined for insights. Machine learning, which develops algorithms to find patterns, has difficulty doing this with data related to health records because this type of information is neither static nor regularly collected.

26 Feb 2021

Study shows reliability and robustness of injectable anti-obesity medication

A second study of the injectable anti-obesity medication, semaglutide, has confirmed the large weight losses reported in a study earlier this month, establishing the reliability and robustness of this new drug.

24 Feb 2021

High-throughput genetic analysis can help dissect the mechanism of disease inheritance

Many genetic variants have been found to have a linkage with genetic diseases, but the understanding of their functional roles in causing diseases are still limited.

24 Feb 2021

C$40-million investment supports new network to fight against diabetes and other chronic diseases

Novo Nordisk A/S and the University of Toronto have announced a C$40-million investment to establish the Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations. Based at U of T Mississauga, the new network is a partnership between the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and University of Toronto Mississauga.

24 Feb 2021

High fructose diets might prevent proper functioning of peoples' immune system

New research by Swansea scientists in collaboration with researchers at the University of Bristol and the Francis Crick Institute in London has indicated that consuming a diet high in sugar fructose might prevent the proper functioning of peoples' immune systems in ways that have, until now, largely been unknown.

22 Feb 2021

Eating low-quality diet during pregnancy is linked to late-childhood obesity

Eating a low quality diet, high in foods and food components associated with chronic inflammation, during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of obesity and excess body fat in children, especially during late-childhood. The findings are published the open access journal BMC Medicine.

21 Feb 2021

3D microscopy sheds light on the body’s immune response to obesity

Researchers who focus on fat know that some adipose tissue is more prone to inflammation-related comorbidities than others, but the reasons why are not well understood.

18 Feb 2021

Timing of physical activity associated with cardiovascular health for individuals with Type 2 diabetes

Numerous studies have demonstrated the role of physical activity in improving heart health for patients with type 2 diabetes. But whether exercising at a certain time of the day promises an added health bonus for this population is still largely unknown.

17 Feb 2021

Kruppel-like factor 15 controls skeletal muscle fat uptake and utilization

Metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, have risen to epidemic proportions in the U.S. and occur in about 30 percent of the population. Skeletal muscle plays a prominent role in controlling the body's glucose levels, which is important for the development of metabolic diseases like diabetes.

16 Feb 2021

Genetic testing technology wrongly detects the presence of very rare genetic variants

A technology that is widely used by commercial genetic testing companies is "extremely unreliable" in detecting very rare variants, meaning results suggesting individuals carry rare disease-causing genetic variants are usually wrong, according to new research published in the BMJ.

15 Feb 2021

UTEP professor's discovery could lead to a way to inhibit overeating

Science is a step closer to a new response to obesity, thanks in part to a study conducted by a team that included Sergio Iñiguez, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at The University of Texas at El Paso.

15 Feb 2021

Researchers map the mechanism behind cellular communication

Knowledge on how cells communicate is an important key to understanding many biological systems and diseases.

13 Feb 2021

Novel finding could lead to better treatments for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

Monash University researchers have uncovered the barrier to β-cell (beta cell) regeneration that could pave the way for improved treatments for diabetes and diseases that involve organ and tissue damage.

12 Feb 2021

Lifestyle changes in pregnant women linked to epigenetic alterations in babies

A study led by researchers at Lund University in Sweden showed a connection between lifestyle intervention in pregnant women with obesity and epigenetic alterations in the baby. The study is published in the journal Diabetes.

11 Feb 2021

Higher proportion of male children develop COVID-19-related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, finds study

Previous studies about COVID-19 have shown that the illness is often more severe in men than women. However, there is limited data available for the pediatric population. Though children and adolescents are at a lower risk of developing severe illness, some may experience severe symptoms. In some cases, children develop complications, including the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Researchers report that a higher percentage of male children developed MIS-C and died.

11 Feb 2021

Study identifies new therapeutic targets for treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes

The GIP receptor in the central nervous system plays a crucial role in the regulation of body weight and food intake.

10 Feb 2021

Reducing obesity may prevent up to half of new type 2 diabetes cases

Reducing the prevalence of obesity may prevent up to half of new Type 2 diabetes cases in the United States, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.

10 Feb 2021

Periodontitis treatment that changes oral bacteria also reduces severity of diabetes

We know that what happens in the mouth doesn't stay in the mouth - but the oral cavity's connection to the rest of the body goes way beyond chewing, swallowing and digestion.

9 Feb 2021

Pancreatic β cells secrete miR-29 in response to high levels of free fatty acids

In a new study published in Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Chen-Yu Zhang's group and Antonio Vidal-Puig's group at University of Cambridge report that pancreatic β cells secrete miR-29 family members (miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c) in response to high levels of free fatty acids (FFAs). These β cell-derived miR-29s are delivered to the liver, promoting insulin resistance and enhancing hepatic glucose output.

9 Feb 2021