Are overweight people more likely to get diabetes?

Find Diabetes Clinics »

There is an increased risk of developing diabetes if you are overweight (if you BMI is over 25kg/m²) and an even greater risk of developing diabetes if you are are obese (if your BMI is over30kg/m²). If you are overweight or obese then your risk of developing type II diabetes increases because your body becomes insulin resistant. This is caused when the large amount of food that you intake makes your body de-sensitized to the insulin produced by your pancreas until it stops responding to it. When the cells of your body stop responding to your insulin they stop absorbing the glucose from your blood stream.  Once you become resistant to your own insulin your blood glucose level will increase and you will have developed type II diabetes. Your risk of developing type II diabetes is increased if you carry most of your weight around your stomach. In general, you will reduce your risk of diabetes by reducing your weight so that you are within the normal range of BMI (18.5-29.4kg/m²), by eating a healthy and balanced diet and by taking regular exercise.  

« What is the difference between type one and type 2 diabetes? Diabetes & Aspirin »