Type 2 Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes and Your Genetic Risk
Type 2 diabetes affects an estimated 8.8% of India's adult population, with nearly half of all cases undiagnosed. See the early warning signs, why some people are genetically more prone to it, and how to find out your own risk.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not use insulin effectively, leading to consistently elevated blood sugar levels. Over time, unmanaged high blood sugar can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves and blood vessels.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition usually diagnosed in childhood, type 2 diabetes typically develops gradually over years and is strongly influenced by genetics, diet, activity levels and body weight — and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger adults in India, particularly those in high-stress, sedentary corporate jobs.
Symptoms to watch for
Many people have no noticeable symptoms in the early stages — which is exactly why regular blood testing matters.
This list is for educational purposes only and is not a diagnostic tool. A formal diagnosis requires blood tests such as fasting glucose, HbA1c or an oral glucose tolerance test, administered and interpreted by a qualified healthcare provider.
What causes it?
unlock.fit's research team co-authored a peer-reviewed study screening 680 Indian professionals and identifying 42 gene variants significantly associated with type 2 diabetes risk.
Genetic factors
TCF7L2 — the most consistently replicated gene linked to impaired insulin secretion across global and Indian populations, confirmed in unlock.fit's own CoGsI study (rs12772424, OR 4.48).1,2
GCKR — affects how efficiently your body regulates blood glucose and processes carbohydrates.3
PPARG — plays a role in fat cell development and insulin sensitivity; the Pro12Ala variant is among the most replicated T2D-associated variants worldwide.4
SULT1C4, FGA & TAS2R38 — missense variants identified in unlock.fit's CoGsI study as significantly associated with T2D risk in the Indian corporate workforce.1
Lifestyle & environmental factors
How unlock.fit's DNA + blood approach helps
Two people with identical diets can have very different blood sugar responses because of how their genes regulate carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion. unlock.fit combines a DNA test that reads markers like TCF7L2, GCKR and PPARG with a comprehensive blood panel — including HbA1c and related metabolic markers — to build a picture of both your current metabolic state and your inherited risk.
From there, our clinical dietitians translate the data into a practical, India-specific meal plan — for example, recommending smaller portions of high-glycaemic staples like white rice in favour of millets such as bajra and ragi for people who show high genetic carb sensitivity, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all diabetic diet.
Frequently asked questions
Genetics plays a significant role. Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes increases your risk, and specific gene variants (such as TCF7L2 and GCKR) are linked to how your body processes sugar and insulin. Lifestyle factors still strongly influence whether that genetic risk turns into the disease.
Early signs include increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision and slow-healing wounds. Many people have no noticeable symptoms in the early stages, which is why regular blood testing is important.
In many cases, particularly when caught early (prediabetes), type 2 diabetes can be significantly improved or put into remission through sustained changes in diet, physical activity and weight management — especially when guided by an understanding of individual genetic risk factors.
While historically associated with older adults, type 2 diabetes is increasingly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s in India, particularly among urban corporate professionals with sedentary jobs and high occupational stress.
Know your risk before it becomes a diagnosis
Take the free DiabScore quiz, or talk to a nutritionist about your genetic and lifestyle risk factors.
References
- Husami SF, Kaur T, Gupta L, et al. Corporate genome screening India (CoGsI) identified genetic variants association with T2D in young Indian professionals. Sci Rep. 2025;15:506.
- Chandak GR, et al. Common variants in the TCF7L2 gene are strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Indian population. Diabetologia. 2007;50(1):63-67.
- Chen G, Shriner D, Zhang J, et al. Additive genetic effect of GCKR, G6PC2, and SLC30A8 variants on fasting glucose levels and risk of type 2 diabetes. PLoS One. 2022;17(6):e0269378.
- The common PPARγ Pro12Ala polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Nat Genet. 2000;26(1):76-80.