Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and accounts for approximately 90% of cases of this condition.
In this case, the pancreas can produce insulin, but the body’s cells are then unable to use, it or/and a decrease of the level of insulin production. Typically, the disease manifests itself after the age of 30-40. The cause is still unknown, but many risk factors have been recognized as being associated with its onset, including family history of diabetes, lack of physical exercise, being overweight and belonging to certain ethnic groups.
Regarding family history, approximately 40% of type 2 diabetic patients have first-degree relatives (parents, brothers and sisters) affected by the same disease, while in monozygotic twins the concordance of the disease approaches 100%, suggesting a strong hereditary component for this type of diabetes.
There are also rare forms of type 2 diabetes, called MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young), in which type 2 diabetes has a juvenile onset and rare genetic abnormalities have been identified in the intracellular mechanisms of action insulin. The risk of developing the disease increases with age, with the presence of obesity and with the lack of physical activity: this observation makes it possible to consider primary prevention strategies. These consist in interventions capable of preventing the onset of the disease that are focused on the promotion of an adequate lifestyle, including nutrition and physical exercise.
Source: International Diabetes Federation
Type 2 diabetes (idf.org)
