Type 2 Diabetes: Know Your Risk, Protect Your Health

Type 2 diabetes is very common—and many people have it or are close to getting it and don’t know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024).

The good news:For many people, type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with early action (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2024a; CDC, 2024).

This post will help you:

• Understand what type 2 diabetes is

• See who is at higher risk

• Learn simple steps to lower that risk for you and your family

  
  

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Your body uses a hormone called insulin to move sugar (glucose) from your blood into your cells for energy.

In type 2 diabetes:

• The body does not use insulin well (insulin resistance)

• Over time, the pancreas can’t make enough insulin to keep blood sugar normal

  
  

This leads to high blood sugar, which can damage:

• Blood vessels

• Heart

• Kidneys

• Eyes

• Nerves and feet(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases [NIDDK], 2024a; ADA, 2024a)

  
  

Why Knowing Your Risk Matters

Type 2 diabetes usually doesn’t start all at once. Most people pass through a stage called prediabetes first—blood sugar is higher than normal, but not yet in the diabetes range (CDC, 2024).

• With no changes, many people with prediabetes will go on to develop type 2 diabetes.

• With healthy changes, people with prediabetes can cut their risk by more than half—even more if they are older adults (ADA, 2024b; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, 2024).

  
  

So knowing your risk is not about scaring you.It’s about giving you time to protect yourself.

Main Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes

Anyone can get type 2 diabetes. But some things make it more likely.

Risk Factors You Can’t Change

You are at higher risk if you (CDC, 2024; NIDDK, 2024b; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], 2023):

• Have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes

• Are age 45 or older

• Are from certain backgrounds, including:

  • Black/African American

  • Hispanic/Latino

  • Native American/Alaska Native

  • Asian American

  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

• Had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or gave birth to a baby over 9 lb

• Have conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), high blood pressure, or high cholesterol

  
  

You can’t change these risk factors—but knowing them can push you to get tested earlier and more often.

Risk Factors You Can Change

These are things you can work on over time (CDC, 2024; NIDDK, 2024b; ADA, 2024b; Open Access Journals, 2022):

• Overweight or obesity, especially extra weight around the belly

• Physical inactivity – moving less than 150 minutes per week (about 30 minutes, 5 days a week)

• Unhealthy eating pattern – lots of sugary drinks, fast food, refined carbs, and processed snacks

• Smoking or vaping nicotine

• Regular poor sleep and high stress

  
  

Even small changes in these areas can lower risk.

What Is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough for type 2 diabetes.

Most people with prediabetes:

• Feel fine – no obvious symptoms

• Only find out through a blood test

• Are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke (CDC, 2024; NIDDK, 2024b)

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That’s why screening is so important.

How Can You Lower Your Risk?

Research like the Diabetes Prevention Program has shown that lifestyle changes can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 58%, and by around 71% in adults 60 and older (ADA, 2024b; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, 2024).

1. Move Your Body More

Goal: at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity, such as (ADA, 2024b; CDC, 2024):

• Brisk walking

• Dancing

• Swimming

• Cycling

• Even yard work or active play with kids

  
  

You don’t have to start big.Try 10 minutes at a time, 2–3 times a day.

2. Choose a Healthier Eating Pattern

You don’t need a “perfect” diet—just better patterns most of the time (ADA, 2024a; NIDDK, 2024a):

• Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables (greens, broccoli, peppers, salad)

• Choose whole grains more often (brown rice, oats, whole-wheat bread)

• Include lean proteins (beans, fish, chicken, tofu, low-fat dairy)

• Cut down on sugary drinks (soda, sweet tea, many juices)

• Limit highly processed foods and large portions of sweets

If possible, ask your provider for a referral to a dietitian or a Diabetes Prevention Program.

3. Aim for Modest Weight Loss (If You Live in a Larger Body)

If you have overweight or obesity, losing even 5–7% of your weight (for example, 10–14 lb if you weigh 200 lb) can greatly reduce risk (ADA, 2024b; CDC, 2024).

This is not about “getting skinny.”It’s about giving your pancreas and insulin a break.

4. Quit Smoking

Smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease (American Heart Association, 2023). Getting help to quit—nicotine replacement, counseling—can lower that risk and protect your blood vessels.

5. Sleep and Stress

Poor sleep and chronic stress can affect hormones that control blood sugar and appetite (Healthgrades, 2023; Abbas et al., 2021).

Try to:

• Get 7–9 hours of sleep most nights

• Use simple stress tools: breathing exercises, walking, journaling, talking to supportive people, or counseling when needed

  
  

When Should You Get Tested?

Talk to your doctor, nurse practitioner, or other provider about screening if you (ADA, 2024a; NIDDK, 2024b):

• Are 45 or older, even if you feel well

• Are younger than 45 but have:

  • Overweight or obesity and

  • At least one other risk factor (family history, high BP, PCOS, gestational diabetes, certain ethnic backgrounds, etc.)

    
    

Common blood tests include:

• Fasting plasma glucose

• A1C (average blood sugar over 2–3 months)

• Oral glucose tolerance test in some cases

  
  

Ask your provider:

“Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes? Should I be tested? Which test is right for me?”

You can also try the free, quick “Are You at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?” online test from NIDDK as a starting point (NIDDK, 2024c).

Tee Shirt: Education You Can Wear (Type 2 Diabetes Risk Tee)

Words on a screen are powerful—but education people can wear goes out into the world with them.

That’s why NurseMob has a Type 2 Diabetes Risk awareness tee designed to turn everyday clothing into a simple teaching tool.

This tee can highlight key messages like:

• “Type 2 diabetes often starts as prediabetes—and you may feel fine.”

• “Risk is higher with family history, age 45+, high blood pressure, or gestational diabetes.”

• “Small changes in movement, food, and weight can cut your risk in half.”(CDC, 2024; ADA, 2024b; NIDDK, 2024b; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group, 2024)

  
  

When someone wears this shirt to:

• A health fair

• A school or workplace wellness day

• A family gathering

• Or just out running errands

  
  

it can:

• Spark a conversation:

  “What does your shirt mean by ‘prediabetes’?”

• Help someone recognize that their family history or weight puts them at risk

• Encourage people to ask for a blood test instead of waiting until symptoms appear

  
  

The more Type 2 Diabetes Risk tees out there, the more people:

• See the warning signs

• Understand that prevention and early action are possible

• Feel empowered to talk to a nurse, doctor, or other provider before serious complications develop

  
  

You can find this tee (and matching diabetes education apparel) in the NurseMob shop, created by a nurse to blend real medical information, prevention, and advocacy.

Diabetes Type 2

From$18.00

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Simple Talking Points for Family & Patients

You can use this little script with patients, loved ones, or in social posts:

• “Type 2 diabetes doesn’t just show up overnight. Our bodies usually warn us ahead of time.”

• “Things like family history, age, and past pregnancy history can raise risk.”

• “The good news: moving more, eating a bit better, and losing a small amount of weight can cut risk by more than half.”

• “Getting a simple blood test now can help you prevent bigger problems later.”

  
  

Key References

Abbas, K. M., et al. (2021). Association of risk factors with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 16(2), 254–268.

American Diabetes Association. (2024a). Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care, 47(Suppl. 1).

American Diabetes Association. (2024b). Prevention or delay of diabetes and associated comorbidities. Diabetes Care, 47(Suppl. 1), S43–S51.

American Heart Association. (2023). Diabetes risk factors.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Diabetes risk factors and Preventing type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. (2024). The Diabetes Prevention Program and its outcomes study. Diabetes Care, 48(7), 1101–1113.

Healthgrades. (2023). Sleep, stress, and your diabetes risk.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2024a). Type 2 diabetes.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2024b). Risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2024c). Are you at risk for type 2 diabetes? Diabetes risk test.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2023). Type 2 diabetes in adults: risk factors and prevention.

Open Access Journals. (2022). Risk factors of diabetes.