type 2 diabetes

• type 2 diabetes is called non-insulin dependent diabetes and often develops later in life
• sugar-rich diets mean more young people, teenagers and children are being diagnosed with the condition
• the blood sugar levels in the body are controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is released from the pancreas. Consumption of sugary foods causes the pancreas to stop releasing insulin
• people who are overweight or obese are also at risk of developing this disease
• if glucose stays in the blood it can eventually damage blood vessels in your eyes and cause blindness
• it can restrict blood flow to your hands, feet and toes, resulting in infection and in the worst cases, amputation
• it can also cause kidney damage
• type 2 diabetes can be controlled by eating a balanced, healthy diet, based on complex, starchy carbohydrates
• in 2015 there were 177,000 people in Wales with diabetes, and as obesity rates are higher in Wales than anywhere else in the UK, there is a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes