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Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when your body cannot make enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it makes1,2.
When the body’s cells don’t respond effectively to insulin, it is called insulin resistance, and it develops over months or even years – this is a key factor in the development of type 2 diabetes1,2.
There are a multitude of factors that contribute to insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes. These include family history, age and genetics, as well as environmental factors such as lifestyle and diet1,3. Your risk of type 2 diabetes is also higher if you have other diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease1,4-9.
Our advice? Once diagnosed, try to focus on managing your health moving forward and sticking to your treatment plan rather than looking back. Focussing on what is within your control can help you to manage your condition in the best way possible.
If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, remember – it’s not your fault! There are many factors that are beyond your control that could have caused this. Type 2 diabetes is a complicated disease and it’s important to remember that it isn’t caused by poor diet and lifestyle alone.
So, you might be wondering, ’how did I get type 2 diabetes?’. Well, there are multiple factors that may be at play1,3. While lifestyle factors like diet and exercise play a role, many other elements contribute to its onset, including:
our building blocks, also known as our genes, may increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, e.g., genes involved in blood glucose control and insulin secretion10.
when we are stressed, hormones are released that can lead to the raising of blood sugar levels. If you are stressed for a long period of time, your blood sugar levels may remain outside the normal range11.
some medications such as corticosteroids and statins, used for the treatment of multiple conditions, can have side effects such as altering insulin secretion and increasing glucose production12.
Developing type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to obesity, with 90% of people living with type 2 diabetes having a body mass index greater than or equal to 3013,14. However, remember that developing obesity itself has a number of complex causes and, like type 2 diabetes, there are several other factors that are at play beyond diet and lifestyle alone10-12,15-17.
Rather than blame yourself, try to focus on how to best manage your current condition, in partnership with your healthcare team. If you have any concerns, remember to reach out to a healthcare professional so that you can feel confident and comfortable as you manage your diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by changes happening inside your body – remember, it is not caused by an infectious agent1,2. This means that it is not contagious, and you cannot pass it on to those around you.
Multiple factors can be involved in the development of type 2
diabetes, including having specific genes that put you more at risk.
Although diabetes can’t be passed from person to person like a common
cold, genes associated with type 2 diabetes can be inherited. This
means if a member of your family has type 2 diabetes, there is a
chance that they can pass on these genes, increasing your risk of
developing type 2 diabetes.
Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and starting a new treatment
plan can be a lot to deal with – try to focus on settling into your
new routine, and don’t worry about passing your disease on to those
around you. Be sure to lean on your loved ones for support as much as
you need to and reach out to your healthcare professional with any
concerns.
In people with type 2 diabetes, the levels of sugar in the blood are too high – this is known as hyperglycaemia1. If it stays high for too long, the insulin your body uses to keep your blood sugar levels in check will become less effective. Your pancreas will then have to work harder to produce more1. Over months, and even years, the pancreas becomes tired and cannot keep up with the demand1,2.
For many, diet and exercise alone is enough to keep blood sugar levels low and manage their type 2 diabetes1,18. However, as the disease progresses over time or if blood sugar levels stay high, it can be helpful to introduce medications to help you control your blood sugar levels1,18. As the body may produce less insulin or become less responsive to it, insulin therapy can help bridge this gap to keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range and prevent long term complications1,18.
Slowing the progression of type 2 diabetes involves a combination of lifestyle changes, medical management and regular monitoring19. Therefore, your treatment plan will likely contain guidance on diet and exercise1,18. If your diabetes continues to progress, a medication regimen may be required to slow your disease progression1.
As type 2 diabetes is progressive, management strategies can change over time1,18. Without these adjustments, your diabetes can lead to severe complications20; therefore, it is important to regularly review your treatment plan with your healthcare professional.
There are multiple reasons why your type 2 diabetes may develop, and you shouldn’t blame yourself – some factors are out of your control! Optimising your lifestyle and diet are important to slow disease progression. Make sure you speak to your healthcare professional regularly to ensure your diabetes management plan is suited to the stage of your diabetes.
Still have questions around starting insulin therapy for your type 2 diabetes? Read through our guide and take notes on questions you can ask your healthcare professional here.
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