A Diabetes Australia Queensland & Diabetes Tasmania Initiative
People ask a number of questions about type 2 diabetes. Below are some of the more commonly asked questions.
Type 2 Diabetes Questions
Q: Can you prevent type 2 diabetes? A: Yes. Research has shown that by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, type 2 diabetes may be delayed, or even prevented, in up to 60 per cent of cases.
Q: Who usually gets type 2 diabetes? A: Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in adults over the age of 45, however in recent times there has been a trend towards young people, including teenagers and children, being diagnosed.
Q: Can type 2 diabetes be cured? A: Currently there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, however the disease can be managed. Researchers throughout the world are working towards a cure.
Q: How is type 2 diabetes treated? A: Initially type 2 diabetes is treated through lifestyle modification including healthy diet and regular exercise. However, as the disease progresses, people with type 2 diabetes are often prescribed tablets to control their blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease so eventually it may be necessary to start taking insulin to control blood glucose levels. Sometimes tablets may be continued in addition to insulin. If you have diabetes, tablets or insulin should be incorporated into your management plan as soon as they are required. This is just the progression of the disease and should not be viewed as any kind of failure on your part.
Q: What are the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes?
A: You are at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes if you:
- have a family history of diabetes
- are older (over 55 years of age ) - the risk increases as we age
- are over 45 years of age and are overweight
- are over 45 years of age and have high blood pressure
- are over 45 years of age and male
- are over 35 years of age and are from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background
- are over 35 years of age and are from Pacific Island, Indian subcontient or Chinese cultural background
- are a woman who has given birth to a child over 4.5 kgs (9 lbs), or had gestational diabetes when pregnant, or had a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.