Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes occurs when the body cannot control blood sugar properly.

High levels of sugar in the blood can cause serious health problems involving the eyes, heart, kidneys, feet, and nerves. There are also short-term complications which include hyperglycaemia, when blood sugar levels are too high, and hypoglycaemia, when blood sugar levels are too low.

People with diabetes can lead full and active lives if their condition is controlled. In the UK, it is thought that 3.8 million people over 16 years old have been diagnosed with diabetes. Nearly 1 million are unaware that they have the condition.

Eating a healthy diet, exercising, and losing weight (if necessary) can greatly help to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

What are the different types of diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes, type 1, and type 2

About 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

• This condition occurs when the body either cannot produce enough insulin (the hormone needed to move sugar from the blood into the body’s cells) or the insulin the body produces is not used properly (known as insulin resistance), leading to sugar build up in the blood.
• Type 2 diabetes tends to be diagnosed in people aged over 40 years. However, increasingly, the symptoms are being seen in younger adults and even children.
• Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked with overweight and obesity, although not all people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.
• This condition can generally be treated by making lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy, varied diet and doing regular physical activity. Sometimes oral medication (such as metformin) and/or insulin are also needed.

About 10% of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

• This condition cannot be prevented and occurs when cells in the pancreas that produce insulin have been destroyed by the immune system.
• In type 1 diabetes there is no insulin and so sugar stays in the blood.
• This means that people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin (either with an injection or an insulin pump) to help the body use sugar properly and control blood sugar levels.
• We do not know why the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas become damaged, but it may be triggered by a viral or other infection.

What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?

There are certain risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. You cannot change all of them, but you can make some changes to your lifestyle that will help to reduce your risk.

The more risk factors that apply to you, the greater the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

How can I reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

Eating a healthy, varied diet, being physically active and losing weight (if necessary) can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet

In the UK, it’s recommended that a healthy, balanced diet is based on starchy foods, has plenty of fruit and vegetables, and is low in saturated fat, sugar, and salt. For more information, take a look at our page on creating a healthy diet.

If you have a diagnosis of diabetes, foods containing starchy carbohydrates are still an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, these foods affect blood sugar levels, so it is recommended that you talk with your diabetes healthcare team about the best type and amount to include in your diet.

If you need to lose weight, calorie and portion size control is important. For more information see our page on healthy weight loss.  

13 Tips For Eating A Healthy, Balanced Diet: 

1. Try to eat meals at regular times during the day.
2. Base meals on starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and breakfast cereals, choosing wholegrain or higher fibre versions where possible.
3. Just over a third of the food we eat each day should be fruit and vegetables. Aim for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day (green leafy vegetables are associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes).
4. Avoid or limit foods high in saturated fat and sugars, such as chocolate, cakes, biscuits, full-sugar soft drinks, butter and ice-cream.
5. Choose beans, pulses and other vegetable sources of protein (like tofu), lean meat, poultry and fish, instead of fatty meat or processed meat products.
6. Choose low-fat and low-sugar dairy foods, such as skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and low-fat, unsweetened yogurt.
7. Use unsaturated oils, such as vegetable, rapeseed and olive oils, in cooking but only in small amounts. 
8. Swap butter for lower fat spreads.
9. Try grilling or boiling your food instead of frying it. Cooking in this way will reduce the amount of fat in your food. 
10.  Choose products lower in salt and use less salt in cooking.
11.  If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation - no more than 14 units per week for both men and women.
12.  Keep hydrated, try to drink 6-8 glasses of fluid a day. 
13.  Swap sugary soft drinks for those without sugar, such as water, tea, coffee and diet drinks.

What should I do if I think I am worried about type 2 diabetes? 

If you are worried you may be at risk of type 2 diabetes, or if you just want to find out whether you are a healthy weight then talk to your GP. 

For further information, advice and support on all matters related to diabetes see the Diabetes UK website.