Type 2 Diabetes

Also known asDiabetes · Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus · Diabetes Mellitus · T2D · Insulin Resistance · 糖尿病 · 2型糖尿病 · Kencing Manis

What it is

In type 2 diabetes the body becomes resistant to insulin, or does not make enough of it, so sugar builds up in the blood. Over years, high blood sugar damages blood vessels and nerves, and raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage and foot problems.

It is strongly linked to excess weight and inactivity, but also to age, family history and ethnicity: people of South and East Asian background develop it at lower body weights.

How food and lifestyle can help

There is no single diabetes diet. What works is an eating pattern you can keep up that controls blood sugar, supports a healthy weight and protects the heart. Some people who lose a substantial amount of weight can achieve remission; ask your care team whether this is realistic for you.

Foods and nutrients to focus on

1. Vegetables, beans and lentils, whole grains and whole fruit: rich in fibre and slower to raise blood sugar.
2. Lean protein from fish, eggs, poultry, tofu and tempeh.
3. Unsaturated fats: nuts, seeds, olive and rapeseed oils.
4. Even spacing of meals, and portions of rice, noodles, bread and potatoes that your dietitian suggests; the amount of starch matters as much as its type.

Foods and drinks to limit

1. Sugary drinks, fruit juice, sweets, cakes and sweetened coffee and tea.
2. Large servings of white rice, noodles and bread, and refined snacks.
3. Processed meat, fried foods and heavy drinking, which also raise heart risk.

Good to know

1. If you take insulin or tablets that can cause low blood sugar, do not skip meals or change your eating without advice from your care team, and carry fast-acting sugar.
2. "Diabetic" or "sugar-free" foods are not automatically healthier: check the label for fat, calories and sugar alcohols.
3. Needs change over time; ask for a referral to a dietitian and a diabetes education programme.
4. Diabetes affects small blood vessels, so keep up your yearly checks: see Diabetes-Related Eye Health and Kidney Disease.

When to see a doctor

1. Increased thirst, passing urine often, tiredness, blurred vision, slow-healing cuts or repeated infections.
2. Shaky, sweaty, confused or very hungry (low blood sugar): treat with fast-acting sugar and seek advice.
3. Any foot wound, numbness, or sudden change in vision.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or take medicines, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

NHS — Type 2 diabetes, used for the main facts: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/