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 Treatment

The Risks of Prediabetes

Insulin Resistance Pathophysiology

Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

What is Insulin Resistance?

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Causes of Insulin Resistance

Insulin Resistance Symptoms

Insulin Resistance Diagnosis

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Pathophysiology

Diabetes in Men versus Women

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Metformin fails to improve insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes

Metformin treatment in type 1 diabetes lowers insulin dosage but does not improve insulin resistance, highlighting its complex role in diabetes management.

26 Nov 2025

Obesity-related metabolic stress may affect brain health far earlier than expected

For decades, scientists have known that what harms the body often harms the brain. Conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance strain the body's vascular and metabolic systems.

25 Nov 2025

Daily walking patterns help flag early Parkinson’s signs in large UK study

Accelerometer data from nearly 95,000 adults show that higher daily step counts predict lower short-term Parkinson’s disease risk. But as follow-up extends, the association fades, indicating that reduced steps are more likely an early marker than a cause.

25 Nov 2025

Genetic signals reveal why erectile dysfunction develops and who is most at risk

This multi-ancestry genomic study identifies key genetic loci underlying erectile dysfunction and shows that ED risk is shaped by both cardiometabolic and substance use–related genetic pathways. Using EHR-linked data, the researchers uncover SIM1-related mechanisms, modest PRS performance, and bidirectional genetic links with obesity, diabetes, and addiction traits.

25 Nov 2025

New skin-permeable polymer delivers insulin without needles

Innovative zwitterionic polymer facilitates insulin absorption through the skin, offering a painless alternative to injections for diabetes management.

25 Nov 2025

Sex-specific changes in gluteus maximus shape linked to aging and metabolic health

The shape of the gluteus maximus muscle in the buttocks changes in different ways with aging, lifestyle, frailty, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes, and these changes differ between women and men, according to new research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

25 Nov 2025

Ultra-processed foods linked to rise in prediabetes risk

The study reveals that ultra-processed foods heighten prediabetes risk in young adults with obesity history, stressing the importance of healthy eating habits.

25 Nov 2025

Genetic factors behind impulsive choices tied to metabolic and mental health

Researchers from University of California San Diego have identified 11 genetic regions linked to delay discounting - the tendency to prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed ones - shedding new light on how impulsive decision-making relates to both mental and physical health.

24 Nov 2025

Black cumin: A promising natural agent with potential against chronic diseases

Black cumin seeds contain diverse secondary metabolites, including thymoquinone, flavonoids, triterpenoids and alkaloids, that demonstrate broad antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. Early preclinical and limited clinical evidence shows therapeutic potential across chronic diseases, supported by mechanistic and structure activity relationship findings.

24 Nov 2025

Hearing loss emerges as a key early warning sign for Alzheimer disease

Hearing loss also predicts a significantly higher risk of dementia, especially in APOE ε4 carriers, highlighting its value as an early risk marker.

23 Nov 2025

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