Managing Type 2 Diabetes
- MedReport Foundation
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a known chronic disease. Characterized by impaired insulin
sensitivity. This leads to high levels of sugar in the human body resulting in weight loss,
excessive urination, and increased risks of infection (1). While it can occur at any age, It
is a common disease that diagnoses adults somewhere between the middle ages of 45
to 65.
What are the causes of Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes doesn’t always start with high sugar levels, but it starts with insulin
resistance. Based on the research of World Population Review (4); the United States
ranks top three with a 13.7% diabetes population rate by 2026. While this is true,
genetics and ethnicities play a big role. This happens because a hormone made by the
pancreas turns the sugar (glucose) in your food into energy for your body. If there isn’t
enough insulin to process the sugar in your cells, it stays in your blood, causing
diabetes (6).
Key Risk Factors and Statistics
1. Weight Correlation: Approximately 90% of cases in women are linked to being
overweight (3).
2. Frequency: Type 2 effects for 90-95% of all diagnosed diabetes cases in adults (2).
3. Youth Impact: Nearly 5,300 youth diagnosed each year between 2017 and 2018 (5).
4. Physical Inactivity: A lack of exercise and high-nutrient dense diet factors to
these diseases (3).
Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
Symptoms can vary depending on the patient demographics. Although symptoms like;
blurry vision, dry and itchy skin, excessive thirst, frequent bladder infection, nausea or
vomiting, numbness or tingling in feet and hands, unexplained weight loss, urinating
frequently, common symptoms include systemic fatigue. If experiencing any of these
symptoms, it is best to do diagnostic screening for blood sugar level. As noted at the
Healthcare University of Utah:
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be different for each person. Type 2 diabetes
can be hard to detect because some people don’t have any symptoms. Other
people have only barely noticeable and mild symptoms. In the US, half of people
with diabetes don’t even know they have it (6).
Specialists and researchers don’t know exactly why type 2 diabetes occurs, as some
are genetic or origin. Although it is proven that insulin resistance causes type 2
diabetes.
How do we identify people at high risk of Type 2 Diabetes and help prevent it?
Type 2 diabetes risk is based on family history, body mass index (BMI), age, and
ethnicity. Lifestyle adjustments on modifications from fast foods are critical in preventing
the disease. Regular blood sugar tests are crucial, allowing for intervention before
disease occurs (3).
References
1. LeWine HE, editor. Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Harvard Health; 2024 [updated 2024; cited 2026
April 13]. Available from:
2. MedlinePlus [National Library of Medicine]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US);
[updated 2026 Jan 21]. Diabetes Type 2; [cited 2026 Apr 13]; [about 5 p.]. Available from:
3. The Nutrition Source [Harvard]. Boston (MA): Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health;
[updated 2024 May 15]. Diabetes; [cited 2026 Apr 13]. Available from:
4. World Population Review [Statistics]. Walnut (CA): World Population Review; [updated 2026
Jan 21]. Diabetes rates by country 2026; [cited 2026 Apr 13]. Available from:
5. Florida Department of Health. Type 2 Diabetes [Image]. Tallahassee (FL): Florida Department of
Health; [updated 2024; cited 2024 Apr 13]. Available from
6. University of Utah Health. Type 2 Diabetes [Health]. Salt Lake City (UT): University of Utah; [cited 2024
May 22]. Available from: https://healthcare.utah.edu/diabetes/type-2
