Type 2 diabetes is a condition that causes the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood to become higher than normal.
It can be serious if not looked after, but it is very treatable.
Symptoms
Type 2 diabetes can cause symptoms such as:
- excessive thirst
- needing to pee a lot
- tiredness
Some people may not notice any symptoms.
Possible health problems linked to type 2 diabetes
If diabetes goes undetected or is not treated, it can increase your risk of developing problems with your:
- eyes
- heart
- feet
- nerves
- kidneys
- liver
What happens in your body
Type 2 diabetes happens if your body cannot:
- make enough insulin
- use insulin properly
Usually when we eat or drink carbohydrates:
- Glucose enters our bloodstream after digestion.
- The pancreas releases insulin.
- Insulin helps move the glucose from the blood to the cells of the body.
This helps us get energy from food.
Insulin controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas - a gland behind the stomach.
If you have poorly managed type 2 diabetes, not enough glucose can enter the cells and your blood glucose levels become higher than normal.
Things that increase your risk of type 2 diabetes
There are many things that can affect your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
These include:
- your genetics
- how active you are
- carrying excess body fat
- some medicines
- where you live, work and play, and how they affect your eating and activity
If you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, there are things you can do to prevent or delay getting the condition.
You're more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:
- are over age 45
- have a close relative with diabetes such as a parent, brother or sister
- have overweight or obesity
- have a diagnosis of pre-diabetes
- had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- are physically active for less than 30 minutes most days
- have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low-HDL cholesterol or high triglycerides
- have a history of heart disease
- have a medical condition that requires long-term steroid use
- are a member of the Traveller community
- are of South Asian, Chinese, Hispanic, African Caribbean or black African origin
- have haemochromatosis - when you store too much iron in your body
- have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Treatment
The things that you do each day can make a huge difference to how you manage type 2 diabetes.
You will be encouraged to take an active role in your own care.
Treatment may include:
- eating healthy foods
- being physically active
- avoiding sitting for long periods of time
- managing your weight
- taking medicines if needed
- quitting smoking and limiting alcohol
- minding your mental health
You will need to have regular check-ups to ensure your health is not affected by diabetes, including:
- check-ups with your doctor or practice nurse
- diabetes eye checks
- checking your feet
Support for type 2 diabetes
As part of your treatment you will be invited to take part in a free diabetes support course.
If you are taking diabetes medicine, you can recover some of the costs through the Long-Term Illness Scheme.
