Type 2 diabetes is also known as what?

Type 2 diabetes is commonly referred to as adult-onset diabetes because it typically develops in adults, often associated with lifestyle factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, and dietary habits. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in children or young adults and is characterized by the body's inability to produce insulin, type 2 diabetes usually involves insulin resistance and a relative deficiency in insulin production.

Although the name "adult-onset" suggests it primarily affects adults, it is important to note that increasing numbers of adolescents and children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to rising obesity rates. This does not change the term but highlights the shift in prevalence among younger age groups. In contrast, terms such as childhood diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and insulin-dependent diabetes are more accurately associated with type 1 diabetes, making "adult-onset diabetes" the most fitting description for type 2 diabetes.