Final answer:
Obesity and physical inactivity are the strongest factors contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, leading to insulin resistance and eventually beta cell fatigue. A healthy lifestyle can manage or even reverse the condition. It's a multifactorial disorder also influenced by diet, pre-diabetes, and genetic factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Strongest Factor Contributing to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Development
The strongest factor contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a combination of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors, with the most significant being obesity and physical inactivity. Obesity, often associated with physical inactivity, leads to insulin resistance, which is when body cells do not respond properly to insulin. This resistance forces the pancreas to produce more insulin, eventually leading to beta cell exhaustion and a decrease in insulin production. Because 80 to 90 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise is crucial in managing and possibly reversing this condition.
Type 2 diabetes is a multifactorial disorder that also involves impaired insulin production, complicating glucose control and leading to elevated levels of blood glucose. The condition traditionally begins with chronic inflammation and is now increasingly being viewed as an autoimmune disease by many scientists. Factors like poor diet, pre-diabetes, and high blood pressure also contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, which primarily affects adults but is increasingly seen in younger populations.