What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Of all the millions of people in the world with diabetes 90% have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually develops in people over the age of 35 and gets more common with increasing age. Type 2 diabetes also tends to run in families with brothers, sisters, mums and dads also affected.
Type 2 diabetes is often associated with being overweight. Many also have high blood pressure and cholesterol problems which together increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and circulatory problems in the legs.
Type 2 diabetes develops slowly. Sometimes you can have symptoms of diabetes. Sometimes there may be no symptoms and diabetes may be diagnosed during a routine health check. Sometimes people can have type 2 diabetes for many months or even years before it is diagnosed. Type 2 diabetes is not caused by stress, but is sometimes diagnosed during a stressful event like when you are sick in hospital.
People with type 2 diabetes still produce insulin but they are either not making enough to meet their body’s needs or they are not able to use the insulin which is produced that efficiently. This is called ‘insulin resistance’ by doctors.
Why did I get Type 2 Diabetes?
There are many factors that lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. There is a family tendency or genetic risk which can increase your chance of getting type 2 diabetes. In other words if your mum, dad, brother or sister has type 2 diabetes then you are at increased risk. There is strong evidence for this genetic predisposition. So you can blame your genes!
However, being overweight, which is now a major problem in our society, is also a major factor in terms of diabetes risk. In Northern Ireland more than half of adults are overweight. So if you have a family history of diabetes and then become overweight you are greatly increasing your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. It must be emphasised however, that most overweight people do not develop diabetes and not all individuals with type 2 diabetes are overweight – though most are!
Lack of exercise is the other important factor in the development of obesity and it has been shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to get diabetes.
How is Type 2 diabetes treated?
The main treatment of Type 2 diabetes is a healthy diet which is low in sugar, low in fat and high in fibre. A healthy diet is the key to managing your type 2 diabetes. You should aim to achieve a normal body weight which for most people means a significant weight loss. Reducing body weight when you are overweight reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, lowers your blood pressure and improves your cholesterol levels. It also increases your life expectancy. Seems worth a bit of effort – doesn’t it?
Exercise is also a fundamental part of your treatment and keeps your weight, blood sugars and blood pressure under control.
Tablets to help reduce your blood sugar levels are often added but they are not a substitute for healthy eating! Insulin is sometimes necessary in some people, when tablets are not sufficient to keep blood sugars under control
What does the future hold?
People with type 2 diabetes can develop long-term complications of diabetes, especially if blood sugars and blood pressure are not kept under control. For this reason type 2 diabetes must be taken very seriously and treated correctly. Type 2 diabetes should never be regarded as ‘mild diabetes’!
Here are the sorts of complications that can develop:
- coronary heart disease (angina and heart attacks)
- stroke
- peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation in the legs)
- diabetic kidney disease
- diabetic eye disease
- diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage)
- infections
The main aim of treatment is to achieve near normal blood sugar levels and a low blood pressure, which together with a healthy lifestyle, will help to improve well-being, and protect against long-term damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and major arteries.