An article in the Centers for Disease Control's journal "Preventing Chronic Disease" states that the "current epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the United States is largely a consequence of the epidemic of obesity, and weight control remains a cornerstone of therapy for people with diabetes." High levels of fatty acids in the blood promote insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, which are major features of type 2 diabetes. Children are increasingly being diagnosed with type 2, which used to be known as adult-onset diabetes.
What Is Diabetes
Diabetes is a group of diseases that all involve problems with the way insulin works to regulate blood sugar. Blood sugar is the prime source of energy used by the body. In type 2 diabetes, the most common type and the one most closely linked to obesity and metabolism issues, the body produces insulin but doesn't use it properly. This malfunction initially causes the pancreas to overproduce insulin to keep blood sugar in check, but over time you stop producing enough insulin, and blood sugar surges to unsafe levels. The consequences are numerous and deadly --- heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, pregnancy complications and amputations. Less well known are the mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety that type 2 diabetics also face.
Obesity and Diabetes
Being overweight goes hand in hand with your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Almost 90 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, according to the Obesity Society. That's because the extra weight puts additional stress on your body's ability to control your blood sugar. Obesity is also associated with metabolic syndrome, which is a group of disorders that can cause abnormalities with the fat circulating in your blood and increase your chances of fatty liver disease and heart disease. It also blocks your body's attempt to regulate blood sugar, a condition known as insulin resistance and the hallmark of diabetes.
Metabolism Issues
Metabolism is a set of processes your body conducts to convert food and other substances into energy. Diabetes is marked by impaired ability to metabolize blood sugar because of problems with the hormone insulin. Insulin is like a tunnel through which metabolism takes place. It helps feed nutrients, especially glucose, to your cells. It stores nutrients not being used, and it regulates the conversion of one type of nutrient to another. Without insulin, not enough glucose is transported to tissues to produce energy, and too much of it is left in the bloodstream. Diabetics also have problems with the metabolism of fat and proteins. Because the body prefers glucose metabolism for energy and not enough is there because of diabetes, it resorts to breaking down fats and proteins. Too much broken down protein in the body leads to a buildup of ketones and acids, which often results in diabetic comas.
Prevention
Type 2 diabetes is preventable. Because of its association with weight, one of the most successful ways to stave off diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight. According to the National Diabetes Education Program, a service of the National Institutes of Health, if you are now overweight, you can prevent or delay diabetes by losing just 5 to 7 percent of your body weight. For example, if you are 200 pounds, taking off 10 to 14 pounds will dramatically decrease your risk. Eating a healthy, low-fat and low-calorie diet, along with doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, is the foundation for weight-loss.
Treatment
Type 2 diabetes is treated with drugs that stimulate the secretion of insulin by the pancreas. In addition, diabetics can take medications that increase the uptake of glucose into cells. For some, a medication is needed only to make the body more sensitive to the insulin it has. As with prevention, losing weight and eating a healthy diet can reduce your dependence on medication and prevent the disease from progressing and developing serious complications.
References
- Obesity Society: Your Weight and Diabetes
- Medscape Medical News: Obesity and Diabetes on the Rise, CDC Survey Finds
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2007
- Preventing Chronic Disease: A Socioeconomic Analysis of Obesity and Diabetes in New York City
- Joslin Diabetes Center: The Link Between Obesity and Diabetes
- Diabetes Care: Fat Metabolism and Diabetese
