Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity is caused by an access accumulation of stored body fat. This is caused by an excessive or unbalanced diet and may be exacerbated by heredity and other underlying medical conditions. People with a body mass index of 30kg/m2 or higher are considered to be obese. Obesity can lead to other diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, gallbladder disease, fatty liver disease, and diabetes.

The body not being able to keep steady blood sugar levels causes diabetes. Over time, if left untreated, this can lead to damage in the blood vessels and organs. Obesity can cause insulin resistance that prevents the body from self-regulating insulin levels. Insulin resistance happens when the body does not create enough insulin to sustain itself. Insulin helps with the breakdown of fats into glucose. When a person is insulin resistant the body is unable to breakdown the fats and instead the levels of fatty acids in the body increase.

Weight loss is the best way to prevent Type 2 diabetes. In order to combat both obesity and diabetes it is recommended that a person reduce the number of calories eaten and increase the amount of physical activity. Medication can also be used as a treatment for leveling off blood sugar levels and treating diabetes.

Studies show a connection between obesity rates and diabetes in populations. The rates of obesity and diabetes are on the rise in developing countries worldwide. Currently it is estimated that one third of the population of developing countries are obese.