What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes. This form of diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. About 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. When type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, the pancreas is usually producing enough insulin, but, for unknown reasons, the body cannot use the insulin effectively, a condition called insulin resistance. After several years, insulin production decreases. The result is the same as for type 1 diabetes–glucose builds up in the blood and the body cannot make efficient use of its main source of fuel.
You can get type 2 diabetes if: • Your body does not respond as it should to insulin. This makes it hard for your cells to get sugar from the blood for energy. This is called insulin resistance. • Your pancreas does not make enough insulin. Your weight, how active you are, and your family history all affect the way your body responds to insulin. If you are overweight, get little or no exercise, or have family members with diabetes, you have a greater chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
The cause of diabetes is unknown. There are, however, several factors that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, such as: being overweight, being physically inactive, and genetics. Blood sugar, more accurately called blood glucose, is the main source of energy for our bodies and the body makes it from the foods we eat. “High blood sugar” is a condition in which glucose builds up in the bloodstream. The medical term is hyperglycemia and it is the main factor used to diagnose diabetes. Hyperglycemia can only be determined by a blood test. Hyperglycemia can have some serious side effects, however. Prolonged hyperglycemia may contribute to changes in vision or damage to the eyes, kidney problems, heart disease, or stroke.
