Scarlett, I think you are right to stick to a diet that works for you, I am sure we are all different, what works for one won't work for everyone.
I ditched sweeteners decades ago and really could not drink sweet tea or coffee now, would just taste like sugar water to me.
My brother has late onset Type 1 diabetes so I don't know if there is a genetic link.
I was very obese when diabetes was diagnosed but many very fat people aren't and never will be.
Jenny, when my diabetes wasn't controlled and I was taking 3 different drugs a day I didn't have a set glucose reading. It's not like standing on the scales to weigh yourself. My readings would fluctuate wildly throughout the day, like everyone with Type 2 diabetes.
Even after I lost 8 stone and was a healthy weight my diabetes was still only controlled by drugs.
I reversed the diabetes by changing what I ate, when I ate and how much I ate.