Why Are Obese People More Susceptible to Diabetes

How many people do you personally know that are overweight or obese and suffer from diabetes?. When you stop and think about it for a few minutes, you may be surprised by the correlation. It’s important to understand why are obese people more susceptible to diabetes and related diseases. The American Diabetes Association states that in 2002, 6.3% of the U.S. population had diabetes. It was the sixth leading death cause listed upon death certificates in the U.S. in 2000.

In just 13 years, the rate of diabetes in America has jumped from 6.3% to 9.4% in 2015. Which is over 30 million Americans and as the rate is growing, it’s quite scary when you consider the link between obesity and diabetes. At this growing rate, you could assume the rate of diabetes in the USA would now be around 10% of the population. That’s one in every 10 people!.

There are two factors in health that can substantially diminish the quality of life, decrease life expectancy, and increase healthcare costs. These are type 2 diabetes and obesity. Less than 3% of the people with Diabetes have Type 1, which leaves a frightening number of people with type 2 Diabetes.

The incidence of both diabetes and obesity continues to rise in proportions that are epidemic. There is even a term that has been coined to describe the form of diabetes that is obesity dependent: diabesity. What does all this mean if you’re overweight and is there anything you can do to stop this disease?.

Diabetes Type 1 Vs Type 2

Quick Links to Info on this Page:

1 Diabetes Type 1 Vs Type 2
- 1.1 Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors
2 The Link Between Type 2 Diabetes & Obese People
3 Treating Obesity Treats Type 2 Diabetes
4 Obesity & Diabetes Are connected

To fully understand the correlation between obesity and diabetes, you first have to understand what diabetes is exactly. This disease is characterized by higher levels of blood glucose, resulting from defects in insulin action, insulin production, or both.

Diabetes has two categories: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes comes into play when the our own immune system strikes down pancreatic beta cells. Hormone insulin are the result of these cells and are important because they play a key key role in regulating blood glucose. This type of diabetes generally affects younger kids and adults at a younger age, although type 1 can occur at any time, at any age.

Type 1 diabetes only accounts for a small number of all cases of diabetes that have been diagnosed as mentioned previously. Risk factors for type 1 include genetic, environmental, and autoimmune qualities.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, accounts for the remaining percentage of all victims of diagnosed diabetes. Which is a huge concern for people that are obese. It generally begins as insulin resistance.

This is a disorder in which cells do not use insulin properly. And as the requirement for insulin builds, the pancreas slowly loses its ability for the production of insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors

To determine the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, it is essential to understand that some factors can be altered and others cannot. Some people are simply at a higher risk because of genes. A relative of the first degree of a person with type 2 diabetes has a significantly higher risk of developing it themselves, five to 10 times greater than someone with no family history of the disease.

Another facet that may have an impact on the risk of type 2 diabetes might be low birth weight. At all ages, type 2 diabetes’ risk rises along with increasing body weight. The presence of type 2 diabetes is 3 to 7 times higher in adults affected by obesity than in adults of normal weight. So its easy to wonder why obese people become more susceptible to diabetes after looking at these figures.

The Link Between Type 2 Diabetes & Obese People

Researchers are still trying to determine what it is that causes some people to develop a resistance to insulin, but it’s been established that obesity and a severe lack of physical activity certainly doesn’t help. Insulin resistance development is a significant component when developing type 2 diabetes. The connection is further seen in that weight loss can help to improve control of or even cure type 2 diabetes.

Additional to the degree of obesity as a factor, another is the location of where the body fat’s excess is deposited when considering risk factors of type 2 diabetes. People with apple shapes, who carry most of their extra body weight about their abdomens, have the highest incidence of diabetes. Those who are of a pear shape, with their extra weight in the thighs and hips, are not as likely to have insulin resistance.

Treating Obesity Treats Type 2 Diabetes

While the link between obesity and diabetes is relevant, what is a person with diabesity to do to increase their chances of a healthier lifestyle. Lose weight, yup you guessed it.

Avoiding certain foods can help decrease the chances of getting diabetes type 2. For example: high processed carbs, saturated fats, processed meat and sugary drinks. In this study performed in 2010, it was found that drinking 1 or 2 drinks full of sugar per day resulted in an increased chance of diabetes type 2 by a whopping 26%. Makes you stop and think whether that can of soda for lunch is really worth it.

Losing weight is the vital goal for people diagnosed as obese or bearing excess weight, especially those who have type 2 diabetes. Sustained and moderate weight loss, which is defined as 5 to 10% of body weight, can be useful in the improvement of insulin action, the decreasing of fasting glucose concentrations, and the reduction of the need for particular diabetes medications.

With a program of exercise, diet, and behavior modification, obesity can be successfully treated. In more extreme cases, however, pharmacotherapy or surgery might be necessary.

Diet Considerations When You Are Obese With Diabetes

Weight loss happens when the expenditure of energy exceeds the intake of energy. The creation of an energy deficit that ranges between 500-1000 calories daily will result in a weekly loss of one to two pounds.

One method is to write down any food eaten, the portion size involved, and the total calorie amount that was taken in; this method has been found to raise awareness and provides objective evidence of a person’s calorie intake. It may come as a surprise that, for effective weight loss, it is not the proportion of fat, protein, or carbohydrates that counts. It is the calories that matter and avoiding foods that make you obese is critical to your success.

However, for obese patients who are afflicted with insulin resistance or diabetes, it may be beneficial to limit servings of those foods that are ranked as complex carbohydrates. Such foods include rice, bread, potatoes, pasta, peas, sweet potatoes, and cereal.

Complex carbohydrates have a tendency to increase blood sugar more than do other foods and this causes the body to work to produce more insulin. When insulin resistance is a factor, these raised amounts of insulin promote weight gain.

The Dreaded Exercise Requirements

Cyclist on top of Mont Venteux, Provence, France – about 2000 m. above sea.

Routine physical activity helps in the maintaining of weight loss and helps to prevent regain. It also helps to improve insulin sensitivity as well as glycemic control, can decrease the risk of the development of diabetes in the first place, and is good for the reduction of mortality in those patients with diabetes.

The desired goal for obese patients with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance should be between 30 to 45 minutes of exercise in moderation five times a week. This exercise need not occur in one session to be of benefit. The division of activity into short, multiple episodes can produce similar benefits while enhancing compliance. One tool to help set objective goals is a pedometer. Having an ultimate goal of 8,000 steps is ideal.

Beat Obesity Diabetes With 30 Minute A Day

Its been said time and time again, exercise for just 30 minutes a day. But as an obese person, it can be quite difficult to achieve. But in no way is this an excuse to NOT do 30 minutes a day of exercise.

Exercise doesn’t have to involve a gym with an excruciating workout. It can be a simple 30 minute walk on the treadmill. What I like to do is watch a series on Netflix while walking on the treadmill. Half the time I forget I’m actually exercising, yet reaping the rewards.

If you find a series you really love, you will be excited to jump on the treadmill the next day to watch the next episode. Keep one series as the ‘Treadmill Series’ and only watch it while you’re on the treadmill. This will help to keep you motivated and follow the 30 minute daily requirement.

If you don’t already own a treadmill, you will need to make sure you buy a high weight capacity treadmill. These machines are built to handle heavier people and won’t break down or rattle and shake as much as a standard treadmill.

Obesity & Diabetes Are connected

One study compares obese and non-obese patients with type 2 diabetes and finds that the ratio is much higher toward the obese end for those likely to suffer the disease and reduced health quality. It is clear why are obese people more susceptible diabetes: insulin resistance has a definite connection.

Would knowing that you’re at risk of diabetes due to an extra 50 pounds of body weight alter the way you live your current lifestyle?. With much evidence suggesting that we should lose weight for a better life, why is it that so many of us are still obese and the rates of obesity are on the rise?.