Is There A Link Between Obesity And Diabetes?
Diabetes is an epidemic that‘s already affecting an estimated 170 million people worldwide. It’s primarily caused by high blood sugar levels, as a result of the inability of the body to produce enough insulin, and turn glucose or blood sugar into energy. What’s making things worse is that the rise in the numbers of the obese or overweight, are also adding to the rising victims of diabetes mellitus. Is there a link between obesity and diabetes?
There’s Actually A Strong Link Between Diabetes And Obesity
The US Center for Disease Control, or CDC, has recently noted that many people are eating themselves into a diabetes outbreak. The CDC and the International Diabetes Foundation also stressed that obesity and diabetes are currently the biggest public health challenges for the 21st Century. According to the two organizations, diabetes affected 16 million people in the US in 1999, and during the same period, obesity rates also went up by almost 20 percent as well. The CDC notes that every 3 seconds, a person is diagnosed with diabetes, and of the children born in 2000, one in three are estimated to develop diabetes.
Will Being Overweight Make You A Diabetic?
Health experts agree that being obese or overweight, places a much greater strain on your body in a variety of ways. This includes overstretching the body’s ability to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Being overweight can actually cause the body to become resistant to insulin, which means that if you already have diabetes, then you need to get more insulin into your cells.
Of the individuals who are diagnosed to have diabetes type 2, 80 to 90 percent are also found to be obese. While the risk factors associated with diabetes and obesity are often linked to age, race and family history, it has become clear that sedentary lifestyles, and the extra conveniences of modern life have greatly contributed to the development of the two major diseases. The popularity of high-fat, high-carbohydrate food items and reduced physical activity among many have lead to obesity, which is contributing greatly to the spread of diabetes as well.
What To Do If You’re Already Overweight
To reduce the risk for developing diabetes, it would help if you increase your physical activity. Even if you’re overweight, losing as much as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can do a great deal in preventing diabetes. If you already have diabetes, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can effectively reduce the amount of medication that you will need. It will also lessen your chances of falling prey to blindness, stroke or heart attack, as well as suffer from hypoglycemia, retinal damage, and chronic kidney failure.
If you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes, you will need to modify your diet accordingly. To help you lose weight, eat a high-fiber, low-carbohydrate diet, and perform twenty to thirty minutes worth of moderate physical exercise each day. However, before you start any exercise regimen, first consult with your physician before embarking on any exercise or weight loss program.

