Obesity is a complex chronic disease caused by many factors such as habits, genetics and environment. Adipose tissue is considered an endocrine organ because it produces hormones such as lepin, estrogen, resitin… Hormones react with hormones causing metabolic disorders, including diabetes, making it difficult to control blood sugar.
BMI is closely related to diabetes and insulin resistance. In obese people, the concentrations of substances such as glycerol, hormones, and cytokines are affected, increasing insulin resistance. The pathogenesis of diabetes is due to the weakening of pancreatic beta islet cells, making blood sugar levels difficult to control.
Diabetics have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar if they have pancreatic beta cell failure and insulin resistance. Therefore, treating diabetes in overweight and obese people faces many challenges in combining and choosing treatment drugs.
Excess fat also makes diabetes worse. Because obesity is a risk factor that makes diabetics susceptible to complications related to the heart, kidneys, arthritis, sleep apnea…
A patient is having his weight checked at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Illustration photo: Hospital provided
If you have both type 2 diabetes and obesity, you should pay attention to controlling your blood sugar levels by adjusting your diet to a healthy one. Have regular check-ups and follow your doctor’s instructions.
Losing at least 5-10% of body weight helps improve type 2 diabetes. Patients can refer to ways to lose weight such as cutting down on calories and fat intake, maintaining daily physical activity, eating breakfast regularly, monitoring weight every week, and reducing time spent looking at electronic devices.
There are 4 ways to assess overweight and obesity, including based on weight and height; measuring waist circumference; measuring subcutaneous fat; measuring body fat distribution using dual-energy X-ray Dexamethasone. Of these, measuring BMI based on body weight and height is an easy and highly reliable method. In Southeast Asians, people with a BMI of 23 to 24.9 are overweight, while obese people have a BMI of 25 or higher.
Diabetic patients with obesity can go to the Department of Endocrinology – Diabetes to have Endocrinologists, Nutritionists, and Sports Medicine doctors advise on an effective weight loss plan.