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Can Obesity Increase the Risk for Diabetes?

Will being overweight lead to Diabetes?


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Numerous studies about diabetes have been conducted, and results show that obesity is a major risk factor. This is specifically true for type II diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Essentially, this is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood. So many diabetics have suffered from the complications of diabetes, and many experts point to obesity as the main culprit.

Type II diabetes is characterized by overproduction of insulin in the body. Maintaining a normal blood sugar level is the goal, but this is very hard to achieve as insulin resistance may develop. Normally, type II diabetes is diagnosed during middle-age, but younger age groups are slowly developing this disorder. Since the 1960s, statistics have shown a great increase in the number of obese children. Today, the population of obese people is still increasing at an alarming rate.

Experts have concluded that abdominal fat increase is linked to glucose intolerance. Obese children and adults usually consume meals that are high in carbohydrates and sugars but low in proteins. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) is 18.5 to 24.9. For those who have a BMI of 40 and above, the risk for acquiring diabetes is significantly high.

Type II diabetes prevention must be started as early as in childhood. Healthy weight loss for overweight or obese individuals is a significant intervention to help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. A combination of balanced dieting, regular exercising and stress management is recommended by health experts and nutritionists. All these are crucial to help curb the chances of suffering from diabetes in later life.

Specifically, daily exercises like walking, running or biking for at least 30 minutes can reduce weight. For those already diagnosed with diabetes, experts have proven that effective weight loss can decrease the dose for anti-diabetic drugs, thereby reducing the risk for adverse effects like hypoglycemia, a life-threatening state characterized by a very low blood sugar level. Diabetes may seem challenging to prevent or treat, but taking an active role in prevention or treatment will make a big difference.
Aug 30th, 2012 at 5:30 PM
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