Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset or noninsulindependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which fat, muscle, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin. In time, however, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. People who are overweight and inactive are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, making wise food choices, exercising regularly, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and taking aspirin daily—for some.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a common metabolic condition that develops when the body fails to produce enough insulin or when insulin fails to work properly, which is referred to as insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that stimulates cells to uptake glucose from the blood to use for energy.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Pathophysiology

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

Type 2 Diabetes Screening and Prevention

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Living With Type 2 Diabetes

Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes

Is a Plant-Based Diet Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

Are Low Carbohydrate Diets Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

What is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin Resistance Pathophysiology

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Latest Type 2 Diabetes News and Research

Once-monthly obesity injection shows double-digit weight loss in major clinical trial

Researchers found that once-monthly maridebart cafraglutide led to substantial weight loss and improved glycemic control in adults with obesity, with or without diabetes, in a phase 2 randomized trial. The drug demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and supports further study in phase 3 trials.

24 Jun 2025

Stress-activated gene damages insulin-producing cells in type 2 diabetes

Stress does no one - not even your insulin-producing cells - any good.

24 Jun 2025

Diabetes drug semaglutide shows promise in reducing dementia risk

Researchers at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have found that semaglutide, a popular diabetes and weight-loss drug, may lower the risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

24 Jun 2025

Clinical trial finds new benefits of semaglutide for adults with type 1 diabetes

A new clinical trial found that taking a popular diabetes and weight-loss drug once weekly significantly improves blood sugar and leads to substantial weight loss in adults with Type 1 diabetes who use automated insulin delivery systems.

23 Jun 2025

Cagrilintide and semaglutide together drive record weight loss in global trial

A 68-week phase 3 trial found that coadministered cagrilintide and semaglutide led to significant and clinically meaningful weight loss in adults with obesity but no diabetes. The combination outperformed either drug alone and improved multiple cardiometabolic health markers.

23 Jun 2025

Amycretin delivers unprecedented weight loss in early trial for obesity treatment

Once-weekly amycretin, a novel peptide activating GLP-1, amylin, and calcitonin receptors, produced rapid, substantial, and sustained weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity during a phase 1b/2a trial. The treatment was generally well tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects, supporting further investigation in larger, longer studies.

23 Jun 2025

New oral drug shows promise for type 2 diabetes and obesity without side effects

Lower blood sugar and increased fat burning – without negatively affecting appetite or muscle mass. These are some of the most promising effects of a new potential drug treatment for people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to a new study published in the journal Cell by researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University.

23 Jun 2025

US children who eat more fruit have less abdominal fat

Research shows that increased fruit consumption is associated with reduced abdominal fat in children, highlighting its importance in obesity prevention.

23 Jun 2025

Use of sleep heart rate patterns to forecast diabetes risk in pregnancy

This study highlights the potential of heart rate variability as an early indicator of gestational diabetes, facilitating proactive healthcare in pregnancy.

23 Jun 2025

Researchers use electric fields to identify aged cells

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new way of telling "aged" human cells apart from younger ones using electric fields.

21 Jun 2025

Diabetes medication shows promise in cutting migraine days by more than half

A diabetes medication that lowers brain fluid pressure has cut monthly migraine days by more than half, according to a new study presented today at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025.

20 Jun 2025

New ACC guidance helps incorporate pharmacologic weight management strategies into cardiovascular care

The American College of Cardiology has issued a Concise Clinical Guidance (CCG) document to aid clinicians in the use of medication for weight management in patients where treatment may provide cardiovascular benefit.

20 Jun 2025

New Swedish research initiative targets obesity and metabolic diseases

Metabolism and obesity are the focus of a major research initiative by the University of Gothenburg and AstraZeneca, with the support of Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and Region Västra Götaland.

19 Jun 2025

Aspirin lowers diabetes risk during COVID-19, but not without side effects

A large real-world Italian cohort study found that daily low-dose aspirin use significantly lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The protective effect appears linked to aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties, though bleeding risks require caution.

19 Jun 2025

Higher ocean microplastics linked to more diabetes, stroke, and heart disease

A new ecological study links high marine microplastic levels near US coastlines with significantly greater prevalence of type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and stroke. The findings raise concerns about environmental exposure through seafood, groundwater, and air in vulnerable coastal communities.

19 Jun 2025

Weight loss surgery leads to significant boost in self esteem

Self-esteem scores more than doubled within one year of weight-loss surgery, according to a new study* presented today at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting.

19 Jun 2025

Rapamycin offers life-extending benefits comparable to eating less

The anti-aging drug Rapamycin has the same life-extending effect as eating less, according to new research from the University of East Anglia and University of Glasgow.

19 Jun 2025

FIM programs show promise in improving diet quality and food security

Food is medicine (FIM) programs that incorporate healthy food into health care for people with or at high risk for chronic disease show great potential in improving diet quality and food security, but additional research is needed to understand clinical outcomes, according to a systematic review of randomized controlled trials in the U.S conducted by the American Heart Association.

19 Jun 2025

Intermittent fasting shows similar weight loss benefits to traditional diets

Intermittent fasting diets appear to have similar benefits to traditional calorie-restricted diets for weight loss, suggests an analysis of trial evidence published by The BMJ today.

19 Jun 2025

How early-life factors raise lifelong diabetes risks in youth

The surge in diabetes among young people highlights critical gaps in care and the urgent need for comprehensive preventative actions to address this crisis.

19 Jun 2025