Theoretical Advances in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic, lifestyle disease that has been known for millennia. In recent times, however, it has spread to alarming epidemic levels, presumably as a result of poor nutrition and lack of physical activity in the modern world, among other factors. Diabetes is characterized by elevated blood glucose, especially in later stages. Complications arising out of diabetes affect several organ systems including blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves; these are especially devastating in the absence of sustained glucose management. The aim of this chapter is to introduce key aspects of theoretical research into diabetes that are likely to find application in medicine and public health. We first highlight classical models of glucose homeostasis which have been a mainstay not only in theoretical research but also clinical assessment for several decades. New developments include novel models of weight change in obesity, which is very closely associated with diabetes. Data science techniques have recently shown promise for the personalization of nutrition. However, models that simultaneously address glucose management as well as weight loss are not yet mature. Finally, causal theories of the development of diabetes have recently been investigated with renewed vigor. These will eventually lead away from a narrow glucocentric view of diabetes, toward a comprehensive appreciation of the multifactorial spectrum of maladaptations that truly define the disease.