Although there can be multiple reasons for developing diabetes type 2, most commonly, what causes diabetes are poor lifestyle choices. Of course, genetic predisposition plays a part, but the diet that we choose to eat and the activity level we keep up are, typically, the most significant factors in determining the onset of this disease. Not to be confused with diabetes type 1, type 2 usually develops later in life, rather than someone being born with the condition. Therefore, it is clear that the way we choose to live our lives plays an important role in causing and, thus, preventing this disease.

Diabetes type 2 is characterized by insulin resistance. This means that the body is no longer able to recognize the insulin that the body is producing and, thus, is unable to respond appropriately by delivering glucose to the body's cells in order for them to function properly. Conversely, people with diabetes type 1 are typically born with an inability to produce insulin, or else develop it early on in life due to complications with their autoimmune system. Although both conditions have a similar name, this distinction shows that what causes diabetes is quite different depending on which type with which you are dealing. Therefore, they are both treated and managed quite differently as well.

A strong genetic link has been found in those with diabetes type 2. However, many people question whether this link has more to do with environment rather than inherent genes. Instead, many choose to focus on other risk factors as possibly being what causes diabetes. Some of these characteristics are things like high blood pressure and high blood fat levels. Interestingly, these 2 conditions are often found in those with the other risk factors as well. These include a high fat diet, a high consumption of alcohol, and a sedentary lifestyle. All of these characteristics play an important role in one's weight. Therefore, being overweight also tends to be a defining characteristic of the disease.

However, the good news about the many possible causes of this condition is that, even if you have a history of diabetes in your family, you can do your best to prevent it. Also, if you are currently diagnosed, you can prevent it from worsening or, according to some, can even possibly cure it if you make certain changes to your lifestyle. No matter what causes diabetes, you can help manage the disease by making an effort to live a healthier life.



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Diabetes type 2 is defined by someone's inability to process insulin properly. Insulin is a substance produced by the pancreas that helps the body maintain a steady blood sugar level and bring energy to the cells that need it. However, when the body is no longer sensitive to insulin, people have a difficult time maintaining an even level of blood sugar. Unlike diabetes type 1, type 2 is usually less responsive to doses of supplemental insulin. Although it is sometimes prescribed, if the body is not recognizing it, adding additional amounts are not always an effective treatment.

However, even though medication is not always a good choice for treatment, there are actually many things that a person can do on his/her to help manage diabetes type 2. Although not as easy as taking a dose of medication, making healthy changes to your diet and exercise routine are a much more cost effective and long lasting treatment option. Although there is no uniformly accepted cure for diabetes, many physicians and researchers alike do realize the role that nutrition and maintaining a proper weight play in keeping their patients healthy.

To best manage your condition, adhering to an appropriate diabetes diet is absolutely essential. No matter where you are in the course of the disease, whether having just been diagnosed, or having lived with diabetes type 2 for awhile, it is always a good idea to find out what sorts of foods have the largest effect on your blood sugar levels. The most useful and easy way to do this is to pay attention to a food's glycemic index. This number indicates how quickly it is processed by the body and, therefore, how much of an effect it has on the level of your blood sugar.

Although cutting out high glycemic foods might not be absolutely necessary, it is a good idea to avoid them whenever you can and to learn ways to prevent the large insulin spike associated with them. For example, many doctors advocate making sure that you make sure to pair a protein rich food along with a more high carbohydrate food in order to counteract the high glycemic load of a carb-laden item. Another important tip is to make sure to eat regularly throughout the day without going too long between meals and to make sure to eat only small to moderate amounts of food at each meal or snack. Learning about various dietary tactics such as these will go a long way in helping to manage your diabetes type 2.



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What causes diabetes type 2 is still open for debate. While type 1 is known to be caused by an autoimmune response in which antibodies attack the body's producer of insulin, the pancreas, the exact cause of diabetes type 2 is not universally agreed upon as of yet. Although it is known to be characterized by insulin resistance, what leads our body to this inability to process this insulin is still being discovered. However, as many doctors and patients have come to realize that diet and exercise tends to play a large part in managing, or even eradicating, the symptoms of the disease, it can be speculated that engaging in an unhealthy lifestyle could be at the root of this condition.

Since insulin resistance is the foundation for diabetes type 2, many people are looking at what affects our ability to process the substance. By discovering what sorts of things both negatively and positively impact our body's sensitivity to insulin, many think that this will lead us to uncover what causes diabetes. As an added benefit, in doing so, we can also learn how to best treat, manage, as well as prevent, this condition.

In studying the effects of various risk factors on our body's sensitivity to insulin, researchers have noticed a strong correlation between leading a healthy lifestyle and one's ability to process insulin. Therefore, these same characteristics may, indeed, provide a key as to what causes diabetes. The lifestyle choices that are currently thought to play the biggest role in diabetes type 2 are also those that are typically associated with people that are overweight. Therefore, people are still not sure if being overweight, in and of itself, is a major cause, or if the poor choices that usually go along with are the real culprit.

Of these lifestyle choices, what seem to be most significant are diet, activity level, and stress management. Eating foods that are high in fat, sugars and carbohydrates, and in large quantities, makes it nearly impossible for one to maintain a steady blood sugar level. Maintaining an even blood sugar level is key when it comes to managing diabetes type 2. Also, although it is not yet fully understood why, engaging in more physical activity and making it a point to lower your stress levels can also impact your body's sensitivity to insulin. Although what causes diabetes is still not completely understood, research into the reasons for its onset have led us to learn many ways that we can help prevent and control it.



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Diabetes type 2 is a common disease that is becoming even more prevalent with each passing day. It is typically diagnosed in individuals after the age of 35 and is distinctly different in its cause from diabetes type 1. Whereas people with type 1 are usually diagnosed before the age of 20 and have an inability to produce insulin, those with type 2 are able to produce insulin but their bodies' are no longer reactive to it. Type 1 is typically caused by an autoimmune response in which the person's body produces antibodies that attack the pancreas, the body's insulin producer. Alternately, type 2 is often brought on by factors such as poor dietary habits, obesity, and a lack of physical activity.

As both forms of diabetes work in very distinct manners, their treatments vary drastically as well. Whereas those with diabetes type 1 are required to inject themselves with insulin when their blood sugar gets too high, those with type 2 may never even need to take insulin. Also, while both forms can benefit from a healthy diet eaten on a regular schedule, that is a main focus of treatment and management of diabetes type 2.

Living a healthier life has a higher likelihood of producing measurable changes in those with diabetes type 2. Although not all doctors and researchers are in agreement as to whether this disease is fully curable through changes in lifestyle alone, many have seen a tremendous benefit in symptoms when eating a healthier diet and exercising more often. Those who start incorporating a variety of whole foods, decreasing the amount of high sugar and high carbohydrate foods, and increasing their activity level, will most likely see an improvement in their overall health as well as the symptoms related to their diabetes.

However, even though it might only be possible to cure type 2, patients with diabetes type 1 can still benefit from eating a nutritious diet and paying attention to portion sizes, as well as making sure to eat on a regular basis without skipping meals. The good news is that, by making manageable changes to one's diet and exercise routine, there is a possibility of preventing a worsening of, or even reversing, diabetes type 2. Adopting a diabetes diet is not complicated and can benefit both those with diabetes as well as those without. By making sure that you are eating mostly good, nutritious food, and maintaining a proper weight, you can do your part in managing your diabetes.



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