Type 2 Diabetes
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Diabetes is the name given to conditions where there are elevated (high) glucose levels in the blood. There are many different types of diabetes, but the main ones are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy).
The reason for high blood glucose levels is different for each type of diabetes, and this is important because the treatment for each type is usually different.
A person with type 2 diabetes still produces the hormone insulin, but not enough to maintain normal glucose levels. The body also doesn’t respond to it normally, known as insulin resistance. These two problems raise the blood glucose level. This is different to type 1 diabetes when the immune system attacks and destroys the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Kids with type 1 diabetes need insulin through injections or a pump to help keep their blood glucose levels in a normal range.
Young people who are most at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes
Children and young adults most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes are those who are overweight and have any two of the following:
- blood relatives with type 2 diabetes
- mothers who experienced diabetes during pregnancy
- an Aboriginal or Pacific Islander background or other high-risk ethnic groups such as Southeast Asians and Asians
- signs of insulin resistance as diagnosed and discussed with a health professional.
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
The treatment of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents involves helping your body keep blood glucose levels as close to target range as possible. This can be done by keeping a healthy lifestyle (physical activity and healthy balanced diet) and medication.
Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes
This resource is provided for all children and young people for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Download the Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes booklet (PDF).
Other resources
Managing your blood glucose levels
Blood glucose monitoring is the measurement of glucose in the blood. A finger prick blood sample is measured by a glucose meter.
Blood glucose monitoring is essential to manage your diabetes so that you can:
- monitor glucose levels when your exercise changes and know when eating different foods
- learn about patterns or trends in your glucose levels
- adjust your medications - with help from the diabetes team
- recognise hypoglycaemia (low levels) and hyperglycaemia (high levels)
- manage when you may be unwell e.g., colds, flu or upset stomach
The following resources will tell you more about managing your blood glucose and the numbers to aim for:
Healthy Eating and Food Planning
Healthy eating is important in the treatment of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents, as this will help to control your blood glucose levels and keep your body healthy.
This resource will give you lots of information about diabetes and food:
Diabetes and physical activity
Physical activity and active play are important for all children and adolescents, especially those with type 2 diabetes.
Physical activity in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle is a vital part in managing type 2 diabetes.
Download Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes – Section 6 (PDF)
Adjusting to diabetes
When a child is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it affects the whole family.
It will take a bit of time to get used to it and may create difficult emotional issues for young people.
Section 7 of the Your Guide to Type 2 Diabetes booklet will help with advice on adjusting to diabetes.
The diabetes social workers are members of the team looking after you. They will support you and your family as you deal with your new diabetes in day-to-day life.
Medications
Your team may decide that the best way to treat your type 2 diabetes is with tablets.
Metformin is a tablet most commonly given to children and teenagers with type 2 diabetes to help to lower blood glucose levels.
Other treatments may include insulin therapy and other oral or injectable medicines.
The below resources will give you more information: