What is another name for type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is commonly referred to as adult onset diabetes. This term reflects the fact that this form of diabetes typically develops in adults, often associated with lifestyle factors such as obesity, lack of physical activity, and poor dietary choices. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in childhood and involves little to no insulin production, type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance, where the body does not use insulin effectively.

The terminology "adult onset" is gradually becoming less favored because type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in younger populations, including children and adolescents, due to rising obesity rates and sedentary lifestyles. However, the term remains in common usage because it emphasizes the age-related onset that often characterizes its typical presentation.

Other names like juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and gestational diabetes denote different conditions; juvenile diabetes refers mainly to type 1, which is not related to adult onset diabetes. Similarly, gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and typically resolves after giving birth, making it distinct from type 2 diabetes. Hence, adult onset diabetes is the most appropriate alternate name for type 2 diabetes.