Type 2 diabetes and obesity are serious chronic diseases that put you at risk of developing other health complications. Obesity is a condition in which your body carries too much fat, and Type 2 diabetes causes abnormally high blood glucose levels.
People with obesity are six times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than people at a healthy weight.
At Legacy Pain and Regenerative Medicine, we do more than ease pain — we promote health. Dr. Trace Alexander sees a strong connection between weight, pain, and overall health and well-being. In addition to chiropractic care, Dr. Alexander is a family nurse practitioner and an expert in nutrition.
Here, we want to explain the link between Type 2 diabetes and obesity and what you can do to improve your weight and lower your risk.
Diabetes alters how your body uses food for energy because of problems involving insulin. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas that assists in transporting glucose from the bloodstream into the cell.
People with diabetes either don’t make insulin, don’t make enough insulin, or their insulin is malfunctioning. In Type 2 diabetes, the problem is low insulin production and insulin malfunction, a condition known as insulin resistance.
Obesity is the accumulation of excess body fat. It’s a chronic medical condition that puts you at risk of developing other health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes.
The link between Type 2 diabetes and obesity is insulin resistance. Excess body fat alters your body’s metabolism — how it uses food for energy. These changes include an increase in the release of fatty acids associated with insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance means your cells are no longer responding to the actions of the insulin (not allowing the insulin to transport glucose into the cell), causing blood glucose levels to rise. The increase in blood glucose triggers your pancreas to release more insulin, taxing the insulin-making cells to the point where production declines.
Obesity is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, but not everyone with weight challenges develops diabetes.
Other factors that influence your health and disease risk include:
You can’t change your genetics, but you can change the other factors that increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes because of your weight struggles.
Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are chronic health conditions, which means they’re long-term diseases. But there are things you can do to improve your health and prevent the complications related to these two chronic diseases.
Since excess fat is a major player in obesity and Type 2 diabetes, weight loss is one of the most effective tools for managing both conditions. We know how hard it is to lose weight, which is why we offer a supervised weight-loss program that provides all the tools and support you need to reach a healthier weight and stay there.
With our weight-loss program, we provide nutrition plans and nutrition supplements that improve gut health. There’s a strong connection between obesity, diabetes, and poor gut health — an unhealthy balance in the microorganisms that live in your gut. Improving gut health improves overall health and may assist in managing weight and diabetes.
Adding physical activity to your daily routine also benefits obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and your weight. Dr. Alexander specializes in sports medicine and designs workout programs that fit your health needs and lifestyle.
You may also benefit from our acupuncture treatments to reduce stress, ease body aches and pains, and improve your overall sense of well-being.
Type 2 diabetes and obesity are long-term health conditions, but you can take steps to prevent the health complications related to these diseases. Let us help you take charge of your health.
You can get started today by calling the office closest to you — we have offices in Plano and Addison, Texas — or clicking the “book online” button.
