What characterizes Type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is primarily characterized by the body's inability to use insulin effectively, a condition known as insulin resistance. In this scenario, the pancreas may produce insulin, but the body's cells cannot respond to it properly, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. Over time, the pancreas may become unable to produce enough insulin to maintain normal glucose levels, but the initial and most defining issue is the body's poor response to insulin.

This condition differs from Type 1 diabetes, where the body does not produce insulin at all, and from situations where insulin levels are considered normal or even elevated in certain types of insulin resistance. Therefore, the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes remains the body's impaired utilization of insulin rather than a complete lack of it or an overproduction that surpasses the capacity needed for glucose metabolism.