Most of us associate type II diabetes with obesity. That’s not surprising, given that 85% of
people with type II diabetes are overweight. Surprisingly, though, being thin
with diabetes is far more dangerous than being fat.
In most cases, the first thing a newly-diagnosed diabetes
patient is told is, “lose some weight.” A new research study out the
Northwestern University is casting doubt on that strategy. The study, led by
Dr. Mercedes Carnethon, was published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association. The research analyzed the results of five previous research
studies that measured body weight, body mass index (BMI), diabetes and
mortality. In all, 2,600 patients were analyzed.
After excluding outside factors unrelated to diabetes and
weight, thin diabetics were nearly twice as likely to die as heavier
diabetics. The hard, cold numbers were 1.5% mortality per year for heavy
patients versus 2.8% per year for thin patients, all with type II diabetes.
Dr. Carnethon did not have an explanation for this
surprising result. It could be that the thin patients had visceral fat, the fat
that is inside the bone structure, wrapped around organs and not visible to the
eye. Or it could be that diabetes is a
genetic mutation that will occur regardless of BMI. In any case, she did not
recommend a sudden weight gain for slender patients who are diagnosed with
diabetes, just increased care.
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