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Glite Dictionary
adult-onset diabetes

adult-onset diabetes

1 3.2
A long-term condition in adults where the body cannot use blood sugar and is often treated with diet or pills
  • noun
  • /əˈdʌltˌɑːnsɛt daɪəˈbiːtɪs/
  • Archaic
translation icon : diabetes de inicio en adultos
  • Many people with adult-onset diabetes can manage their condition effectively through diet and exercise.
  • adult-onset diabetes (Type 2)
  • prevent adult-onset diabetes
  • risk of adult-onset diabetes

Examples

  • Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult onset diabetes and we had to change that name when it started showing up in children, but in 1980, you could not find a case of this disease in children.

    Time to Choose (2015)

  • The high rate of obesity and very early onset of what used to be called adult-onset diabetes (Type II) has led some health scientists to question whether young people will live as long as their parents.

    Academic text (2004)

  • If you are diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes, it is essential to monitor your blood sugar levels regularly.

  • To prevent adult-onset diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight and a balanced diet is crucial.

Synonyms

type II diabetes
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Specialized
3 3.9

A long-term condition that makes blood sugar too high, often in adults and treated with diet and pills

focuses on gradual adult development and management by diet or oral medication
adult-onset diabetes mellitus
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
4.5

A long-term condition in adults that makes the body unable to use sugar well and usually needs diet and pills

is the core phrasing highlighting gradual adult onset and diet or oral medication management
maturity-onset diabetes mellitus
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
5.1

A long term illness in adults where the body cannot use sugar well and is treated by diet or pills

emphasizes the same gradual adult onset and noninsulin management approach
maturity-onset diabetes
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
4.0

A condition in adults where the body cannot use insulin well, causing high blood sugar

stresses gradual onset in adults and management without insulin injections
mature-onset diabetes
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Specialized
4.4

A common adult disease where blood sugar becomes too high and is often treated with diet and pills

highlights the same adult gradual development and noninsulin control methods
NIDDM
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
7.0

A common diabetes in adults that is usually controlled by diet or pills and does not need insulin

is the plain term describing gradual adult onset managed by diet or pills
non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
4.1

A long illness in adults that causes high blood sugar and usually does not need insulin injections

adds that this condition is typically managed gradually with diet or oral agents
non-insulin-dependent diabetes
vsadult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
4.1

A long-term illness where the body cannot use sugar properly and is often managed by diet and exercise

focuses only on gradual adult onset and management without noting lifestyle links

How Serious

adult-onset diabetes
  • Archaic
1 3.2
prediabetes
  • Specialized
3.9

Surface Forms

adult-onset diabetes singular
adult-onset diabetes plural

Morphology

adult-onset + diabetes

The phrase literally denotes diabetes whose onset occurs in adulthood: 'adult-onset' transparently combines 'adult' + 'onset' and modifies 'diabetes.' This disease + time-of-onset compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Adult-onset diabetes comes from the idea that this kind of diabetes 'starts' in adults rather than in children: the word onset means 'start', so the phrase points to diabetes that begins in adulthood and is often managed with diet or pills.