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Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: A Dangerous Relationship

Obesity can put you at risk for many preventable diseases, Type 2 diabetes is one of them.

Type 2 diabetes, also referred to as non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes, usually presents itself late in life. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin to metabolize ingested food into a sugar called glucose. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to process glucose into energy. Constant overeating will, at some point in time, hinder the insulin process, resulting in Type 2 diabetes.

Risk Factors
A body mass index (BMI) can indicate whether you need to lose weight in order to avoid getting Type 2 diabetes. It gives you the ratio of body fat to your height. A BMI reading between 18.5 and 24.9 is deemed normal. It has also been determined that a waist circumference of more than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women is a strong indication of Type 2 diabetes.

Although inactive and obese individuals are particularly at risk, others are also vulnerable to this disease:

• Those having a family history of diabetes
• Native Americans or African-Americans

Avoiding the Risk
So how can you decrease your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes? Since obese people seem to be more at risk than others, a change in diet, eating habits and lifestyle is recommended. A low fat diet, high in vegetables and grains, should be introduced, and a regular exercise pattern should be maintained. Incorporating a pleasurable activity into the daily routine, such as bicycling, swimming or walking, has shown to decrease the chances of obesity.

Symptoms and Treatment
Many people develop Type 2 diabetes and are actually unaware of its manifestation. Symptoms include increased hunger or thirst, fatigue, increased urination, weight loss, blurred vision and sores that do not heal.

Treatment includes taking diabetes medication, changing food habits, exercising regularly, and controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol. A healthy lifestyle may not only prolong your days on earth, but also increase the quality of your life as you age.

Other Illnesses Related to Obesity
In addition to bringing about a high incidence of Type 2 diabetes, obesity can cause hypertension, heart disease, skeletal problems, mood swings, gall bladder disease, GERD, sleep apnea, liver disease, decreased circulation and diseases of the eye.

Help is Available
Because of the significant impact of diabetes and obesity on health care dollars, help in avoiding the disease can be found.

• Many corporations have gyms and offer discount memberships to employees.
• There are various diet programs that boast food and maintenance plans in order to encourage weight loss.
• Members of support groups offer each other nutrition and lifestyle tips, and often become comrades in the fight against fat.

For most people, Type 2 diabetes is preventable. Much research is still necessary, but changing old habits that cause obesity, which can eventually lead to potential illness, is a good start. Be sure to teach your children good eating habits and keep them active so we can decrease the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in future generations.

Click here to learn more about other obesity-related health problems.