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According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) over 40% of adults in America are obese, with Hispanic adults at a higher percentage of over 46%. Obesity increases the risk of many debilitating diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Almost every aspect of health, from respiratory and reproductive functions to mood and memory is diminished by obesity (or even some excess weight for that matter). How does this occur? It could be just from the stress of carrying extra pounds, or complex changes in metabolism or hormones due to obesity. Obesity doesn’t just decrease length of life, but the quality of life too. One of the diseases that obesity can cause is type 2 diabetes.
What is diabetes?
When food is digested, sugars from the food enter the bloodstream. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin which helps sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream enter the body’s cells so it can be used as energy. If there is too much sugar, then the same hormone insulin prompts the liver to store blood sugar for later use. In an ideal situation blood sugar enters the body’s cells or is stored by the liver.
Type 2 diabetes results when blood sugar fails to enter the body’s cells or be stored by the liver. The blood sugar instead remains in the bloodstream and is transported from organ to organ.
Too much sugar left in the blood stream can be the result of a lack of insulin. The body just doesn’t produce enough insulin. This is known as type 1 diabetes, which is not the topic of this article. Another reason for too much sugar in the blood stream is because the body cannot absorb the blood sugar properly and the sugar builds up in the blood. This is type 2 diabetes.
Why is diabetes dangerous?
Too much sugar in the blood for extended periods of time is dangerous. For instance, it damages the blood vessels that carry blood to vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, eyes, and so on. Damage to these blood vessels deprive the vital organs of much needed blood supply, and thus the organs themselves become damaged over time if the disease is not managed and controlled properly.
People with diabetes have a higher risk of health problems including heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Diabetes can cause permanent vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eyes. Many people with diabetes develop problems with their feet from nerve damage and poor blood flow. This can cause foot ulcers and may lead to amputation. In 2019 diabetes and kidney disease due to diabetes caused an estimated 2 million deaths.
What is a major contributor to type 2 diabetes?
Obesity. Consider that eighty six percent of patients with type 2 diabetes were overweight or obese according to a study by the National Institute of Health carried out to determine the prevalence of excess weight and obesity among patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Fortunately, studies show that weight loss is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes. At Vital Advanced Medical Center, medical weight loss specialists work with each patient to lose weight and help keep it off after they lose it. Less obesity means less type 2 diabetes and a lowering of the debilitating effects of diabetes.
If you are overweight or obese and want to lose weight and prevent diabetes, hypertension and other diseases connected to obesity, then schedule a consultation at Vital Advanced Medical Center in Tampa Florida, where emphasis is placed on treating the whole person and addressing the root cause of disease.
