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

Cone snail venom produces new type of insulin

Diabetes is a global health issue affecting millions. In 2014, there were 422 million diabetics, compared to 108 million in 1989. The condition can be treated with diet, physical activity, medicines like synthetic insulin injections, and regular screening.

3 Jun 2020

Study reveals how a fat cell's immune response worsens obesity

When obesity occurs, a person's own fat cells can set off a complex inflammatory chain reaction that can further disrupt metabolism and weaken immune response--potentially placing people at higher risk of poor outcomes from a variety of diseases and infections, including COVID-19.

2 Jun 2020

A satisfying romantic relationship predicts lower stress, inflammation in breast cancer survivors

Breast cancer survivors in romantic relationships who feel happy and satisfied with their partners may be at lower risk for a host of health problems, new research suggests.

2 Jun 2020

Researchers identify risk factors for fatty liver disease

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have uncovered an unexpected connection between an imbalance of electrons in liver cells and many metabolic problems that increase the risk for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and fatty liver disease.

29 May 2020

NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE releases featured materials

Press materials are now available for NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE, a dynamic virtual event showcasing new research findings and timely discussions on food and nutrition. The online meeting will be held June 1-4, 2020.

29 May 2020

Women and minorities inadequately represented in clinical trials for novel cardiometabolic drugs

Women and minorities, particularly African Americans, continue to be inadequately represented in clinical trials for novel cardiometabolic medications, with no evidence of improvement in enrollment numbers over the past decade, according to new research published last week in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access journal of the American Heart Association.

28 May 2020

Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent in American Indians and Alaska Natives

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects American Indians and Alaska Natives at approximately three times the rate of white Americans and is closely linked to the disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, according to the American Heart Association Scientific Statement "Cardiovascular Health in American Indians and Alaska Natives," published today in the Association's flagship journal Circulation.

28 May 2020

A new therapeutic approach to improve the health of diabetic patients

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have mapped for the first time the vast network of proteins that interact with proinsulin, the protein the body normally processes into insulin.

27 May 2020

Study shows antihypertensive drugs do not raise serum levels of ACE2

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* by researchers from Iceland and the U.S. shows how treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) does not raise angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) levels in human serum – and cautions against the discontinuation of these drugs among patients affected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

26 May 2020

Researchers find a 'skinny' gene

Some people may have trouble losing weight, while others find it hard to gain weight. Now, a team of scientists may have found the answer to why some people remain thin despite eating without restriction.

26 May 2020

Blood test could help doctors identify patients at risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Scientists have identified metabolites in the blood that accurately predict whether a woman will develop type 2 diabetes after experiencing a transient form of illness during pregnancy.

22 May 2020

Environmental chemicals linked to changes in the gut microbiome and health

The microbes that inhabit our bodies are influenced by what we eat, drink, breathe and absorb through our skin, and most of us are chronically exposed to natural and human-made environmental contaminants.

21 May 2020

Novel tool helps translate complex communication between microbes and the body

A new tool developed by scientists at the Quadram Institute and Earlham Institute is helping to translate the complex communication between the microbiome and the body.

21 May 2020

Does abdominal fat affect COVID-19 outcomes?

As the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be slowing down in some parts of the world slightly but accelerating in others, scientists are investigating the role played by a host of factors that might impact the final outcome. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 examines the role of abdominal fat (visceral obesity, VO) in severe COVID-19.

21 May 2020

Bariatric surgery may alter gene expression in fat tissue

Altered gene expression in fat tissue may help explain why individuals who have regained weight after weight loss surgery still experience benefits such as metabolic improvements and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

21 May 2020

Drug combination could eliminate side effects of largely abandoned diabetes treatment

A new UT Southwestern study shows how an effective but largely abandoned treatment for Type 2 diabetes could be used again in combination with another drug to eliminate problematic side effects.

20 May 2020

DZD researchers discover additional genetic cause for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

In Germany about 18 million people suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver. The causes of this disease are manifold and include environmental as well as genetic factors.

19 May 2020

Early life antibiotic exposure linked to increased risk of childhood obesity

Very young children exposed to antibiotics at an early age (from birth to 12 months) are associated with higher risks of childhood obesity and increased adiposity in early to mid-childhood.

19 May 2020

Hop supplements used by menopausal women are not likely to cause drug interactions

Hop-based dietary supplements that many women use to ease the night sweats and hot flashes commonly reported during menopause aren't likely to cause drug interactions, new research from Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute and College of Pharmacy shows.

19 May 2020

Yoga eases depressive symptoms in people with other mental health issues

Researchers have found that the practice of yoga could help those with mental health problems by easing symptoms of depression effectively. Their study titled, "Effects of yoga on depressive symptoms in people with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis," was published in the latest issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Health Education England.

18 May 2020