In fact, type 2 diabetes has become epidemic in youth populations, particularly in Native American, Hispanic, and Japanese populations. Type 2 diabetes is much more clearly hereditary than type 1. Type 2 diabetes tends to be more insidious, and often has few or no symptoms. Our cells have receptor sites on their surfaces. The more receptor sites on the cell surface, the more efficiently the substance can stimulate cell activity.
Obesity can cause the number of receptors for insulin to decrease.
Losing weight causes the number of these receptors to increase. Some people with type 2 diabetes have the right number of insulin receptors, but they don't work properly. She loved chips and burgers, and they ended up on her hips and waist. Because she preferred reading to running, the weight stayed on. Eventually Jan became obese.