(NewsNation) — Of the estimated 38 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, an overwhelming majority has Type 2.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how the body turns food into energy. It develops when blood sugar levels are too high, causing the pancreas to produce insufficient insulin, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
Lifestyle and genetic factors can lead to Type 2 diabetes, which can be prevented in most cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Risk factors for Type 2 include being overweight, having a family history, not getting enough exercise and being 45 years or older.
Type 2 diabetes is preventable, but is it reversible? Doctors also say yes. Studies have shown that, with diet and exercise changes, some people may be able to return to normal blood sugar levels without medication, entering remission.
“The best way to reverse type 2 diabetes is to decrease your body’s resistance to the actions of the insulin made by the pancreas,” said Dr. Patricia Peter, an assistant professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, in a news release. “For most people, this means trying to attain a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and minimizing sugars and excessive carbohydrates in your diet.”
Doctors warn that healthy lifestyle changes must be maintained to keep blood sugar levels normal and to prevent the condition from redeveloping.