At Risk

• Anyone who has a parent or sibling with diabetes, is overweight, over 45 years old and does not exercise consistently is at highest risk of developing 2 diabetes.
  
  

Symptoms

• Not everyone with type 2 diabetes will be symptomatic. Those who are may experience excessive thirst, increased hunger, frequent urination, weight loss, blurred vision and frequent infections or sores that are slow to heal.
  
  

Testing

• Doctors use both fasting blood glucose level and oral glucose tolerance tests to diagnose type 2 diabetes. Ongoing blood glucose level testing should be done at home using a blood glucose meter.
  
  

Treatment

• Treatment for type 2 diabetes includes a diet low in carbohydrates and sugar, strict exercise regimen and oral medication or injected insulin.
  
  

Prevention

• Keeping a body mass index of less than 25 and exercising at minimum of three times per week will help to prevent type 2 diabetes from developing in both adults and children.