Type 2 Diabetes: What is it and who is at greatest risk?

What is Type 2 diabetes?

Insulin is produced in your pancreas and helps the body digest sugars. Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the pancreas is no longer producing enough insulin.  As the body becomes resistant to insulin the pancreas has to work harder but over time the cells in the pancreas just can’t keep up.  At that point medication, and in some cases insulin is needed to manage blood glucose levels.

What causes type 2 diabetes?

There are a number of risk factors for type 2 diabetes including family history, being overweight and leading an unhealthy lifestyle. Symptoms can take a long time to appear, which means you could be living with it for a months before you are diagnosed. It usually develops in people over the age of 45, although it’s becoming increasingly common in younger people. It can cause symptoms like excessive thirst, needing to wee a lot and tiredness. It can also increase your risk of developing serious problems with your eyes, heart and nerves.

Can Type 2 diabetes be reversed?

Scientists at The University of Glasgow and Newcastle University have recently shown in a £2.6M landmark study called DiRECT, funded by Diabetes UK, that using a formula-based total diet replacement (TDR) like LighterLife’s TotalFast plan, can put type 2 diabetes into remission. 73% of patients who achieved 10kg or more weight loss, and a whopping 86% of patients who achieved 15kg or more weight loss, were in remission at 12 months.

Prevention is better than cure

To prevent Diabetes, we know from the EU-funded PREVIEW study that 8 weeks weight loss with a TDR meant that only 6% went on to develop type 2 diabetes. Losing weight makes it easier for your body to lower your blood sugar level, and can improve your blood pressure and cholesterol.

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