Article Summary:
Type 2 diabetes is not caused by being over weight, but they are linked. It is no coincidence that nearly 90% of type 2 diabetics are overweight. Obesity, often the result of unhealthy life style choices, is a known risk factor for this condition and now affects more than one in three American adults. Yet, over the last 20 years, the number of American of adults following a healthy life style has declined. This article explores the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Full Article:
Type 2 diabetes is not caused by being over weight, but they are linked. It is no coincidence that nearly 90% of type 2 diabetics are overweight. Obesity, often the result of unhealthy life style choices, is a known risk factor for this condition and now affects more than one in three American adults. Yet, over the last 20 years, the number of American adults following a healthy life style has declined.
Type 2 diabetes develops from pre-diabetes, which is when the body becomes resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance is a condition where the body does not use the insulin that it produces effectively enough to reduce blood sugar levels.
Your body uses glucose in the blood as its fuel. Supplying glucose to all the cells in your body via the bloodstream ensures that the cells work together and keep functioning normally. Insulin transforms excess glucose into glycogen in the fat, muscle and liver cells. This is how insulin manages to reduce the blood sugar level.
If you are obese, your excessive fat cells make it harder for insulin to work effectively. Gradually more and more insulin is needed to reduce the level of glucose in your blood. If this is allowed to continue unchecked, your body will go from the pre-diabetic stage to type 2 diabetes. That is how obese people, often unknowingly, develop type 2 diabetes.
But it need not be like that. Having a healthy, balanced, calorie controlled diet will aid weight loss particularly when combined with regular exercise. When you exercise, your body burns up glucose, which can help to return your blood sugar levels nearer to normal. This is why taking regular periods of moderate exercise is so important if you want to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
If you are consuming fewer calories than you burn up, your body will make up the calories that it needs by burning fat reserves, which in turn makes it easier for your insulin to work effectively. This is why following a healthy, balanced diet is important.
Obesity substantially increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. By having a healthy diet, taking regular amounts of moderate exercise and losing weight you can significantly reduce the risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Robert Reddin is a writer with more than 7 years experience and has numerous off-line and on-line articles to his credit. His interest in diabetes arose when a close family member was diagnosed with the condition. You can find more information about treating diabetes here
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