Type-2 diabetes is a chronic medical condition associated with high blood sugar levels. This condition occurs when certain cells in the body become resistant to insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas and used to process blood sugar. Because the sugar cannot be processed and moved into the cells, the sugar builds up in the bloodstream, causing a number of symptoms and complications.

Type-2 diabetes often causes no symptoms in the beginning. However, as time goes on, you may experience:

• Increased urination
• Increased thirst
• Hunger
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Erectile dysfunction
• Numbness and/or pain in the extremities
• Infections that heal slowly or poorly

Diabetes is usually diagnosed through blood glucose testing. If diabetes is left untreated, patients may develop a number of complications, such as stroke, kidney failure, heart disease, blindness and more.

According to the National Institutes of Health, type 2 diabetes can develop in anyone, but most of the people who develop this condition are overweight or obese. In fact, although the exact mechanism is not known, carrying excess weight has been shown to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes significantly. Furthermore, remaining overweight after type 2 diabetes has developed will exacerbate the condition and increase the risk of complications.

There are various weight loss methods available, including a low-carbohydrate diet, increased physical activity and bariatric surgery. For most patients, combining these weight loss methods leads to the best long-term results.

To prevent the development of type 2 diabetes, individuals who are overweight or obese should do what they can to reduce their weight. Bariatric surgery has been conclusively shown to improve or in some cases put type 2 diabetes into remission.