Author: Sara Sy
What are Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and is a chronic illness that happens when the body is unable to regulate blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, causing high blood sugar levels. There are more than 38 million Americans that suffer from diabetes with 90% to 95% of people with diabetes having type two diabetes.
What is Happening in the Body?
During digestion, the carbohydrates from foods are broken down into sugar molecules, specifically glucose. Glucose is the body’s main source of energy and is absorbed into the bloodstream immediately after eating. It enters the cells with the help of a hormone from the pancreas known as insulin. The pancreas releases insulin when the blood glucose level rises to let glucose into the cells and fuel them. However, in type 2 diabetes, the individual’s body is unable to produce or use insulin properly to lower an individual’s blood sugar after they eat. This is known as insulin resistance. In response to the insulin resistance, the pancreas attempts to produce more insulin to lower blood glucose levels. However, the pancreas eventually cannot make enough insulin to keep the blood glucose levels normal, causing high blood sugar. As a result, the glucose begins to build up in the bloodstream instead of entering the cells for energy.
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes:
There are several factors that can cause type 2 diabetes, including obesity, genetics, lack of exercise, eating an excessive amount of foods high in carbohydrates, lack of a balanced diet, and chronic stress. Genetics plays the largest role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian Americans are more predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes:
Some symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include increased feelings of thirst, urinating more often, excessive feelings of hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, slow-healing cuts or sores, experiencing tingling or numbness in the feet or hands, and unexplained weight loss. However, some individuals experience little to no symptoms of type 2 diabetes, causing them to live most of their life without knowing they have diabetes. Left untreated, high blood sugar levels from type 2 diabetes can cause complications in the kidneys, legs, feet, eyes, heart, and nerves, leading to heart failure, kidney failure, blindness, stroke, and the amputation of feet.
Diagnosis:
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed through various blood tests. The hemoglobin A1C test, which measures the average blood glucose for the past 2 to 3 months. An A1C level of 6.5% or higher indicates that an individual has diabetes. Another common test ordered by the doctor to determine if one has diabetes is the fasting plasma glucose test, which measures the blood sugar after an 8 hour fast. A fasting plasma glucose test of 126 mg/dL or higher means that an individual has diabetes. There is also a random plasma glucose test that can be taken to check the blood sugar levels without fasting beforehand. A result of 200 mg/dL means that a person has diabetes.
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes:
Treatment includes taking various medications, but the most common medication taken is insulin. Lifestyle changes can be made to manage diabetes. If a person is overweight, most doctors usually recommend them to lose weight by limiting the amount of calories they eat in a day and by being more physically active. Individuals can also work with a dietitian to figure out the meals they should be eating and create a balanced, healthy diet. They should also monitor their blood sugar levels through either a glucose meter and finger stick that measures the blood sugar of a person immediately or a continuous glucose monitor that constantly provides data about one’s blood sugar levels. This method allows individuals to figure out which foods spike their blood sugar levels and help them manage their diet better.
Works Cited:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. “Type 2 Diabetes .” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, May 2017, link
Cleveland Clinic. “Type 2 Diabetes.” Cleveland Clinic, 8 Nov. 2023, link
Mayo Clinic. “Type 2 Diabetes.” Mayo Clinic, 2025, link
John Hopkins Medicine. “Type 2 Diabetes.” link
Edited by: Tammy Zhen and Sianny Guzman
Leave a Reply