Understanding type 2 diabetes

What happens in type 2 diabetes

After eating, the body breaks carbohydrates down into glucose, which enters the blood. The hormone insulin moves glucose from the blood into cells, where it is used for energy.

In type 2 diabetes, cells respond to insulin less well than they should (insulin resistance), and over time the pancreas cannot make enough insulin to keep up. Glucose then stays higher in the blood than it should be, which is what a blood test detects.

Why it matters

Type 2 diabetes often develops slowly, and many people have it for years without symptoms. Persistently high blood glucose damages small and large blood vessels, which over time raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, vision loss and slow-healing wounds, especially in the feet.

It is one of the most common long-term conditions worldwide, and a substantial share of people who have it are undiagnosed. Blood testing is how it is found.

What influences it

Risk rises with age, excess weight (especially around the abdomen), low physical activity, a family history of diabetes and a history of diabetes in pregnancy. It is more common in some populations.

Management usually combines everyday measures - food choices, activity, weight management - with medicines that lower blood glucose or improve how the body handles it, chosen and adjusted with the treating clinician. Good control over the years sharply lowers the risk of complications.

What this overview cannot do

This is general information, not clinical guidance for any one person. It cannot interpret a blood-sugar reading, say whether someone has diabetes, or recommend any medicine or diet. Those decisions belong with a qualified clinician who knows the person's history and test results.