Type 2 diabetes occurs mostly in adults but can also affect children. It develops when the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin and/or the insulin it does produce is no longer effective. It is the most common type of diabetes accounting for 85-90% of all diabetes cases in Australia.[1]

Risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases with lifestyle issues such as obesity, inactivity, high blood pressure and a poor diet. We cannot discount genetics, the genes we inherit can significantly increase our risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Once diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes it is important you learn how to manage your condition, we have evidence to show that with lifestyle changes you can slow down the progression of diabetes. Everyone is different so there is no one treatment that suits everyone, the aim is to find out what works best for you. Treatment includes diet, exercise, oral medications and insulin.

Ignoring diabetes does not work, it will not go away and poorly controlled diabetes – having elevated blood glucose levels for a long time will lead to you developing life-changing complications. The good news is, these health issues should not affect you if you learn as much as you can about your condition and know where to seek support.