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| Picture downloaded from The MalaysianInsider. These 3 blokes, swearing in a House of GOD, only look obese because they are wearing bullet-proof vests, and we don't know if they are diabetic. But we got your attention ;-) |
Losing weight when obese can prevent or
cure diabetes, whatever the initial BMI
Lowering
your BMI by five units can dramatically reduce your risk of diabetes, whatever
your initial weight, says new research presented at the International Congress
of Endocrinology/European Congress of Endocrinology in Florence, Italy. The
findings show that even severely obese patients with diabetes can potentially
rid themselves of the disease.
Addressing
diabetes is a major priority for health providers worldwide given the vast
global prevalence (approx. six to seven per cent of the world’s population;
around 285 million people) and its severe complications including amputations
and heart disease. Surgery for weight loss has an unexpectedly rapid and
substantial therapeutic effect on diabetes rates. Understanding why weight loss
has such a dramatic effect on diabetes is the focus of this study by Associate
Professor Markku Peltonen from the National Institute for Health and Welfare,
Finland and colleagues from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
The
researchers enrolled the 2010 patients from the Swedish Obese Subjects study
who had received bariatric surgery and 2037 obese controls receiving
conventional (non-surgical) obesity treatment. They were assessed for BMI and
diabetes at baseline (before surgery in the surgical group), and at two and 10
year follow-up.
Among
patients with BMI<35, 35-40 and 40-45 who did not lose weight after two
years, type 2 diabetes incidence rates were 6.5%, 7.7% and 9.3% respectively.
Among those with initial BMI 35-40, 40-45 and ≥45 who lost at least five BMI
units after two years, type 2 diabetes incidence rates were 2.4%, 2.0% and 3.4%
respectively, clearly showing that lower rates of diabetes can be found among
obese patients who have lost five BMI units through any means. Further analysis
showed that the rate of patients cured of diabetes after losing five BMI units
was independent of the starting BMI at all BMI levels measured. This trend was
also observed after 10 years post surgery.
The
findings suggest that losing five BMI units, the equivalent of approx. 16kg for
a 180cm tall 35 year old man weighing 130kg (BMI 40), can make a real
difference to your health by reducing your likelihood of having type 2
diabetes. Furthermore, it suggests that this is true for all patients, as even
those who were severely obese showed dramatic improvements.
Associate
Professor Markku Peltonen, Director of Department at the National Institute for
Health and Welfare, Finland, said:
“Our
findings show that, whatever your starting weight, losing five BMI units can
dramatically reduce your risk of having type 2 diabetes after two and ten
years.
“Dropping
five BMI units is no mean feat, as the human body is not very good at losing
weight. But patients of any weight should take encouragement that by doing so
they can really improve their chances of a healthy future.”
###
Body
mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that
applies to adult men and women.
Calculate
Your Body Mass Index HERE
Let’s say you are 165cm tall and weigh
95kg, your BMI will be 34.9 which puts you in the obese category.
Lowering your body weight to 81kg, in
effect lowering your BMI by five units, dramatically reduces your risk of
diabetes.
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