Low body mass index is not a guarantee against diabetes

Slim people get diabetes at least as often as obese

News from MailOnline: Sorry, but being slim may be no defense against diabetes

It is believed that being overweight and obese increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but scientists from Newcastle University draw attention to the fact that slim people may also be prone to developing this disease. The results of the study are published in the journal Clinical Science (Roy Taylor and Rury R. Holman, Normal weight individuals who develop Type 2 diabetes: the personal fat threshold).

As the researchers explain, the body mass index, which determines the ratio between height and weight, is not an accurate indication of the risk of developing diabetes. In their opinion, instead it is necessary to assess the risk by how the body accumulates fat. Fat deposits may not be visible on the abdomen, thighs or sides, which is why a person looks slim, but fat can be deposited in significant amounts in the internal organs.

There is a theory that diabetes is triggered by the accumulation of internal fat in the liver and pancreas, which are crucial for insulin production and blood sugar control. Some people are more likely to accumulate fat around in the area of these organs, and this happens regardless of their total weight.

As the data analysis showed, one out of two people with type 2 diabetes does not suffer from obesity (BMI >30), but has excess (BMI=25-29.9) or healthy weight (BMI=18.5-24.9). Thus, a person who is normal or even underweight can become diabetic, despite a healthy diet and physical activity. "The body has an individual threshold for the perception of fat. If its level in your body is exceeded, then problems begin with the regulation of blood glucose levels, and subsequently the development of type 2 diabetes is likely," said Roy Taylor, the main author of the study.

However, weight loss helps to reduce the amount of fat in the liver and pancreas. The results of the study found that regardless of whether the patients were obese, had excess or normal weight, losing weight by an average of five kilograms helped to improve their blood glucose levels.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru18.12.2014