Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar (glucose) in blood. Glucose is an important source of fuel for your body.
With type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain normal glucose levels. (Insulin is a hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells).
Type 2 diabetes used to be known as adult-onset diabetes, but today more children are being diagnosed with the disorder, probably due to the rise in childhood obesity. There's no cure for type 2 diabetes, but losing weight, a good balanced diet and exercising can help manage the disease. If diet and exercise aren't enough to manage your blood sugar well, you may also need diabetes medications prescribed by a doctor or insulin therapy.
