What is type 2 diabetes? People get type 2 diabetes when their bodies aren't able to process the food they eat into the energy they need. In the body, food becomes sugar which is the fuel that keeps our bodies running. The sugar fuel is delivered to all areas of our bodies in the blood. A substance called insulin makes this happen. In people with type 2 diabetes, the insulin doesn't work correctly and there is too much sugar in the blood. If it is not controlled, type 2 diabetes stresses the body and, over time, can lead to medical problems like blindness, kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke. Getting diagnosed early and taking good care of diabetes can prevent these medical problems. You have to have a special blood test to find out if you have type 2 diabetes. But children and teens with type 2 diabetes are often overweight or big for their age. Also, young people with type 2 diabetes often have a parent, grandparent, or other family member who has diabetes.