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Warning Signs |
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Extreme hunger or thirst
Unexplained weight loss
Frequent urination
Blurred vision
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Risk Factors
- Obesity. Most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, weighing at least 20 percent more than what is recommended for their height or having a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or greater. Insulin resistance increases when weight is excessive.
- Heredity. Type 2 diabetes runs in families.
- Age. The risk for developing type 2 diabetes increases with age. Half of all new cases of type 2 diabetes occur in people 55 or older.
- Race. Compared with Caucasians and Asians, type 2 diabetes is more common among Native Americans, African-Americans and Hispanics.
- Sedentary lifestyle. Insulin resistance increases with lack of exercise.
- Women who have had gestational diabetes. Women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy have an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes later on in life. Women who give birth to babies weighing 9 pounds or more at birth also have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Certain medications. The use of certain drugs, including diuretics and steroids, may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
More on Diabetes Type 2 Could You Have Diabetes?
Cutting Health Risks for African-Americans
Obese Kids at Big Risk for Diabetes
Q & A: Obesity Brings Diabetes Risk
Insulin resistance syndrome/metabolic syndrome
In the Encyclopedia: Blood-viscosity reducing drugs
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Diabetic foot infections
Diabetes mellitus
Blood sugar tests
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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