Type 2 diabetes: Basic principles

The background articles below clearly explain the most important basic principles of type 2 diabetes. It is important to understand how the disease develops and how to lower the risk to promote your own health.

In summary, type 2 diabetes is a glucose metabolism disorder which develops gradually and is affecting more and more people. Because the disease usually manifests in adulthood, it is also known as “old-age diabetes”. However, the term is outdated because type 2 diabetes is increasing more and more often in young people.

What happens in type 2 diabetes mellitus? The focus is on insulin – a hormone essential for our survival that is needed for energy production and to transport glucose from the food we eat to the cells. In type 2 diabetes the cells in the body respond less and less efficiently to insulin. This is known as insulin resistance. The pancreas also produces too little insulin. This leads to an increase in blood sugar levels.

There are various causes for type 2 diabetes. Too little exercise and an unhealthy diet play a major role in the development of the disease. But smoking, alcohol consumption, stress and genetics can also increase the risk.