Where type 1 diabetics do not produce enough insulin for their body, type 2 diabetics have the insulin, but their bodies are not adequately used.

Type 2 diabetes has been linked to lifestyle choices, as many people diagnosed are considered overweight or obese. A person’s extra weight can make it hard for the body to process insulin properly.

Some additional risk factors for being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes include family connections (a first or second-generation family member) and race. Even with these risk factors present, a person can prevent out put-off a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes by losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and doing plenty of physical activity.

Type 2 diabetes has been diagnosed in patients over 40, but in recent years, people of all ages have been diagnosed with this disease. There is an alarming number of young children who are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are obese.

People not yet diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may exhibit some symptoms: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and skin infections. Moodiness and irritability may also be a symptom of diabetes but is usually not one that precipitates a trip to the doctor and is later explained by high or low blood sugar levels.

Other warning signs for type 2 diabetes are the same as type 1 diabetes, such as an increased need to urinate, a desire to drink more, and a feeling of lethargy or constant tiredness.

Type 2 diabetics have a range of options for treatment depending on personal preference and individual needs, unlike type 1 diabetics, whose only option is to go on insulin injections or an insulin pump.