Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or doesn’t use it properly, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. Although you can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, it most commonly affects people 45 or older. Find out more about the condition including its symptoms, complications, and management here.

Type 2 Diabetes Basics

Illustration of a Diabetes Type 2 finger prick test
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

How to Prevent Complications

legs-medical-exam-amputation
How to Avoid Diabetic Foot Amputations
Card Placeholder Image
How Can You Die From Untreated Diabetes?
flu-diabetes
What Are Flu-Like Symptoms of Diabetes?

Nutrition and Type 2 Diabetes

A fast food employee hands a bagged meal to someone in their car through the drive-thru window
Quick Meal Options for Diabetes
A woman sits at a computer and looks at her watch as she eats food
Timing of Meals for Diabetes
Woman preparing a salad at a kitchen counter.
The Best and Worst Foods For People With Diabetes

Explore Type 2 Diabetes

Card Placeholder Image
What I Wish I Knew About Type 2 Diabetes
Card Placeholder Image
What Is Prediabetes?
A man does a high kick to warm up before exercising
Can You Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
man working out in gym during eveninghours
Working Out Later in the Day May Better Help Control Blood Sugar
Woman sitting on a couch at night watching TV in low light
'Night Owls' May Have a Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease Than 'Early Birds'
What-Is-Type-1.5-Diabetes-AdobeStock_284696761
Type 1.5 Diabetes Is a Controversial Diagnosis—Here's What to Know
woman walking
How 2 Minutes of Walking After a Meal Can Help Control Blood Sugar Levels
Tom Hanks attends the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 19, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Tom Hanks Has Diabetes and COVID-19—Here's Why the Condition Can Make Coronavirus More Severe
The-Differences-and-Similarities-Between-Type-1-and-Type-2-Diabetes-GettyImages-1307458558
The Differences (and Similarities) Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Covid Virus inside of Blood Glucose Meter with testing sticks on a blue background
Even Mild COVID-19 Infections Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Research Shows
Life Insurance for Diabetics
How Is Type 2 Diabetes Treated?
Liz Cambron-Kopco smiles with her blood glucose monitor on her arm. The words next to her say Type 2 Diabetes What I Wish I Knew.
What I Wish I Knew About Adjusting My Type 2 Diabetes Management Plan
man sitting at table with ozempic in hand
Ozempic Shortage: How a Viral Trend Could Be Putting People With Diabetes at Risk
Man with diabetes takes a finger blood test
Two Common Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Shown to Outperform Others in New Study
A woman eats her snack with her glucometer next to her on the table.
Snacks for Type 2 Diabetes
An illustration of a woman drinking a glass of water
What Are the Symptoms of High Blood Sugar?
After-Being-Diagnosed-With-Type-2-Diabetes-This-Actor-Found-Her-Voice-GettyImages-1307458505
After Being Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes, This Actor Found Her Voice to Help Others
celebrities-with-diabetes
18 Celebrities With Type 2 Diabetes
Nurse checking blood sugar of patient in medical examination room
How This Woman's PCOS Diagnosis Led to Her Being Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes
Female doctor consoling senior patient during medical appointment - using face mask
Why One Nurse Dedicated Her Career to Helping Underserved Communities Fight Type 2 Diabetes
woman with diabetes checking her blood sugar
Why Blood Sugar Can Get Too Low—And What to Do About It
apple-carbs
How to Count Carbs in 10 Common Foods
Nutritionist-Diabetes-AdobeStock_391090194
How This Registered Dietitian Helps Her Clients—And Family Members—Struggling With Type 2 Diabetes
Three-Members-of-Family-Diagnosed-With-Type-2-Diabetes-GettyImages-1315079341
These 3 Siblings All Have Type 2 Diabetes—Here's How They Manage the Condition Together
how-to-insulin
8 Ways To Administer Insulin
Pharmacist testing older adult patient for diabetes
6 Types of Insulin and How They Work
woman-crop-diabetes
How To Make at Home Blood Sugar Testing Hurt Less
Woman-Diagnosed-with-Type-2-Diabetes-GettyImages-1192129783
This Woman Was Only Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes After She Started Experiencing Serious Complications
depressed-boost-diabetes-200x150.jpg
Depressed? It May Boost Your Diabetes Risk
question-mark-diabetes-terms
Decoding Type 2 Diabetes Lingo: 6 Important Questions
skeleton-body-kidneys-diabetes-risk
How Does Diabetes Affect Your Body?
insulin-need-to-know
How Much Insulin Do You Need?
Woman lounging on couch watching TV
This Is What Happens When You Sit Around for 2 Weeks—Even If You're Young
fiber-granola-berries
High-Fiber Foods and Type 2 Diabetes: What to Know
diabetes-drinking-alcohol
Alcohol and Type 2 Diabetes: Proceed With Caution
insulin-need-to-know
Insulin: When to Take It and Other Facts You Should Know
Colleague looking at businessman doing blood sugar test while sitting at table during coffee break
5 Factors That Affect How Often To Check Your Blood Sugar
diabetes-anxiety , Worried woman from the blood sugar test results
What It's Like Battling Type 2 Diabetes When You Have an Anxiety Disorder
limit-soda-400x400.jpg
Diet or Regular Soda: Is Diabetes Risk Higher With Diet?
coffee-greens-oats-breakfast
6 Simple Diet Changes That Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
designed-for-one-turkey-tortilla
10 Easy Dinner Recipes for People With Diabetes
insulin-syringe-money-cost-medicare
Diabetes and Medicare: One Patient's Story
insulin-syringe-phase-out
How To Naturally Reduce the Need for Insulin in Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetic woman uses insulin pen while on break with coworker
When Is Insulin Needed With Type 2 Diabetes?
Casual day in the office
Does Sugar Make You Thirsty?
kim-palmaffy
One Man's Unintended Weight Loss Was a Sign of Type 2 Diabetes
virginia-shreve
My Doctor Treated Me Like a Child
arms-books-knowledge-diabetes
How One Woman Copes With the Fear of Diabetes Complications
close up of woman in restaurant eatingclose up of woman in restaurant eating
5 Ways to Prevent Prediabetes from Becoming Diabetes
NDMA-In-Metformin-Recall-GettyImages-1156947063
Metformin Recall: NDMA Contamination in Blood Sugar Medication
risk-low-magnesium-diabetes-insulin
How to Cope With Negative Thoughts After a Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis
grapefruit-blood-sugar
What To Do When Your Blood Sugar Is High
diabetes-symptoms-weight-loss-diabetes
10 Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms to Watch Out For
Dental checkup
Unusual Symptoms of Diabetes
hurt-insulin
Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin—12 Myths Explained
Nurse examining older patient in home
These Are the Most Common Blood Tests To Diagnose Diabetes
Cropped shot of a young unrecognizable woman treating her diabetes at home
After Weeks of Symptoms, This Person Was Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes