Why obesity causes diabetes

Obesity is loosely defined as a condition of having too much fat also called adipose tissue. Causes of obesity can include having a sedentary lifestyle, lack of access to healthy foods, genes and family history, certain health conditions and medications, emotional factors, lack of sleep, age, and more 1.

BMI is the most common method for measuring body fat. It is a hotly debated mathematical calculation involving height and weight.

Why the debate? Plus, it can be inaccurate for people with certain body types think body builders, etc. Another widely used measurement is waist circumference, which determines the amount of abdominal fat. Excess abdominal fat that is disproportionate to total body fat can be a predictor of obesity-related risk factors. Those who are at risk are men with a waist measurement exceeding 40 inches and women with a waist measurement exceeding 35 inches.

Other factors, such as family history, level of physical activity, smoking, and diet may be used to assess individual risk. More than one-third of the U. Obesity increases the risk for more than 30 chronic health conditions including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure, sleep apnea, stroke, asthma and other respiratory conditions, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

There are many risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including age, race, pregnancy, stress, certain medications, genetics or family history, and high cholesterol. However, one of the best predictors of type 2 diabetes? Obesity and type 1 diabetes The rising incidence of type 2 diabetes among children and adults is related to the epidemic of obesity. Obesity and type 2 diabetes The increased prevalence of obesity these days has drawn attention to the worldwide significance of this problem.

Obesity and insulin resistance Insulin sensitivity fluctuation occurs across the natural life cycle. Conclusion Diabetes and obesity are chronic disorders that are on the rise worldwide.

Footnotes Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. References 1. Scheen AJ. Pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes. Acta Clin Belg. American Diabetes Association Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. Type 1 diabetes: etiology, immunology, and therapeutic strategies. Physiol Rev. Mathieu C, Badenhoop K. Vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus: state of the art.

Trends Endocrinol Metab. Pancreatic volume and endocrine and exocrine functions in patients with diabetes. Vitamin D levels, microvascular complications, and mortality in type 1 diabetes. Ershow AG. Environmental influences on development of type 2 diabetes and obesity: challenges in personalizing prevention and management.

J Diabetes Sci Technol. Global prevalence of diabetes: estimates for the year and projections for Kasuga M. J Clin Invest. Disproportionately elevated proinsulin levels reflect the degree of impaired B cell secretory capacity in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Porte D. Beta-cells in type II diabetes mellitus. Fowler MJ. Microvascular and Macrovascular Complications of Diabetes. Clinical Diabetes. Insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Relationship to cardiovascular risk factors: the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study. The emerging pandemic of obesity and diabetes: are we doing enough to prevent a disaster? Int J Clin Pract. Healthy percentage body fat ranges: an approach for developing guidelines based on body mass index. Am J Clin Nutr.

Arora S. This ensures that the glucose levels do not rise further after a meal. Insulin reduces blood glucose by collecting any excess glucose that is present in the bloodstream so that it can be stored as glycogen for future use.

However, if not enough insulin is available, then this glucose is unable to enter cells. Instead, the glucose remains in the bloodstream in a higher than usual amount. This condition is referred to as elevated blood glucose or hyperglycemia. The more excess weight you have, the more resistant your muscle and tissue cells become to your own insulin hormone. In addition to excess weight, there are many other facts that increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, such as:.

Inactivity and having excess weight go hand-in-hand with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. A person can decrease insulin resistance by exercising and can lower blood sugar levels.

People who have family members with type 2 diabetes are at a greater risk of developing it themselves. People who have a higher rate of diabetes include:. As we age, the risk of type 2 diabetes becomes greater. As our cells age, they become more resistant to insulin as well. Having metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Women affected by obesity are more insulin resistant when compared to women of normal weight. When pregnant, gestational diabetes generally lasts the length of the pregnancy. There are a variety of blood tests that may indicate whether you have type 2 diabetes. The amount of sugar in your blood naturally fluctuates but stays within a normal range. The preferred way to test your blood sugar is after fasting overnight for at least eight hours.

The American Diabetes Association offers a complete resource guide for weight loss from goal-setting to making a plan and good food choices. In terms of exercise, any type of physical exercise can help. The more you move, the more energy you burn, which will cause your body to use blood sugar and remove it from your blood.

The ADA recommends aerobic exercise and strength training, but also recommends just increasing your activity level each day. Park further away from the entrance of wherever you are going will increase the number of steps you take each day.

Get off the elevator one floor from your destination and walk up the final flight.