Does Obesity Cause Diabetes Type 2?

¶ … Obesity cause Diabetes Type 2?

From the time people came into existence; they have witnessed changes in virtually every aspect of life including the global environment, food production, health concerns, demographic growth, and so forth. Nevertheless, the capacity to adapt to the changes has facilitated the inhabitants to survive and have an improved lifestyle. However, as the globe penetrated into the twenty-first century, the standard of living of numerous people has altered to a great extent due to the technological advancements and innovations. People are now in a race where everyone wants to win success, prosperity, and affluence because of which they have neglected or overlooked the aspect of their health (Stern & Kazaks, 2009). Therefore, health has become an escalating and emerging concern in this epoch across the world.

However, when taking health issues under consideration, obesity has been observed as one of the epidemics that have been witnessed amongst the populace (irrespective of the age factor) from all over the globe. Obesity is an acute state and endemic health issue that is related to excessive fatness or chubbiness. Obesity is caused when the unnecessary fats with the body accumulate and lead the human body to increase in volume to an extreme level and makes the person excessively overweight. It is a complex phenomenon that usually has a have negative and deteriorating effects on the health of the people who suffer from this epidemic (Stern & Kazaks, 2009).

Alarming and shocking results have come to the forefront from the statistical records that more than one fourth of the American population is at risk to suffer from the disease of obesity. Obesity is not restricted to the population of the United States, but it has spread across the world, and increasing number of people from different parts of the globe are likely to suffer from this epidemic (Stern & Kazaks, 2009).

The technological boom has largely drifted the trend of working physically because the general public of the nations has become much reliant upon machines. As an outcome, the manual or physical exercise has reduced immensely. Even though, the innovations have alleviated the burden of strenuous activities of the human beings, but, at the same time, it has also led to the accumulation of body fats, which is making the people vulnerable to obesity. It simply indicates the fact that lack of physical exercise is one of the major reasons of obesity (Stern & Kazaks, 2009).

Although the field of medicine has encountered numerous advancements, yet, reliable cure to curb obesity has not been found by the experts. Therefore, the enormity of obesity is conducive to the development of several diseases, specifically when a person enters in his/her later years of life. It has been an observation that Diabetes Type 2 is one of the widespread diseases caused by obesity.

Diabetes is a disorder that is associated with abnormal metabolism within the human body. When the level and quantity of the glucose within the human body escalates largely and it cannot be properly utilized then it leads to the metabolic disorder of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, which is normally initiated in later years of life, is attributed to a disorder in which human body cells fail to detect the presence of insulin in the blood. Unlike type 1 diabetes, in type 2 diabetes insulin is produced by pancreas and is released into the blood. However, the receptors for the hormone, which is present on the cell membrane, do not function properly; hence, glucose cannot be properly used and metabolized (Barnett, 2012).

Type 2 diabetes was once associated with people of middle or old age, however, this is becoming more common and widespread amongst the younger generation, especially the ones who suffer from obesity. Extensive research studies have claimed that diabetes type 2 and obesity are inextricably associated with one another. In fact, according to the statistical records, more than two third of the U.S. population diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are commonly observed to be overweight (obese). It is predominantly because lack of intake of nutrients (consumption of foods with high fats), as well as sedentary lifestyles, is the universal environmental factor that result in obesity, which are amongst the common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes (Barnett, 2012).

There are numerous drawbacks of being obese that affect the human body in several deleterious ways. One of the prime effects is the loss of body's capability to regulate blood glucose level. Additionally, accumulation of excessive fats in the body renders the insulin receptors inactivated, which is conducive to the lack of response by the body when glucose concentration in blood escalates (Barnett, 2012).

Initially, obesity leads to the development of insulin resistance, but, with the passage of time it could worsen the conditions to result in the onset of a full-fledged disease. In both the cases, insulin released from the pancreas fail to bind with its receptors on body cells; thus, cells could not be triggered to uptake excess glucose present outside the cells. As a consequence, glucose reserves cannot be built because excess glucose gets wasted and body's energy store (in the form of stored glucose) gets depleted (Barnett, 2012). However, this disturbed mechanism can be compared with normal insulin signaling in a healthy human being while studying the latter as given in the diagram below:

(Manning, n.d.)

Under normal conditions, insulin gets bind to the specific receptors present on cell surface membrane and increases the cell permeability for absorbing glucose. Once the glucose is taken up by the cells, they either undergo the respiration cycle to yield energy for fueling up body processes or gets stored (if in excess). These reserves are used when body requires energy for performing any kind of function. However, obesity begets to loss in receptor sensing ability; hence, the normal processes are hampered (Barnett, 2012).

Extensive studies (Schuster, 2010) that have been carried out in the U.S. over years lay key emphasis on the fact that if an individual is obese, the chances of developing type 2 diabetes increases to a large extent. To be more specific, the people who put on fat around their abdomen (stomach) escalate the possibility of type 2 diabetes. In this respect, experts have highlighted few theories to elucidate how obesity is associated with type 2 diabetes. According to the first theory, fat metabolism is profoundly disrupted with obesity (Schuster, 2010). The cells that are insulin responsive cells surround the fat molecules that are released into the blood due to obesity get inside. As an outcome, the fat molecules disturb the entire cycle with which cells react to insulin (Schuster, 2010).

The other theory claims that pro-inflammatory chemicals are discharged by the fat cells when the human body accumulates excess body fats around their bellies (Schuster, 2010). Same outcome is observed as the chemicals disrupts the cycle of insulin responsive cells and make them insulin resistant. On an overall basis, all the three studies conclude that the obesity triggers immense changes within the human body that results in the development of type 2 diabetes. It is specifically because the elevated amount of fatty tissues has a direct impact on the cells that make them resistant to insulin (Schuster, 2010).

Previous studies, on a universal basis, have declared that obesity and diabetes type 2 are closely linked to one another. However, recent studies, in this respect, have brought controversial results that exhibit difference in opinion. Surprising fact has come to the surface with few empirical studies where people with normal weight are equally susceptible to the development of type 2 diabetes, similar to obese people. People are not comprehensively aware of this reality because neither scientific literature has yet focused or written about the other factors of type 2 diabetes; nor, has the media brought focus on this aspect (Schuster, 2010).

Nevertheless, the studies reveal that it has not received much attention because nearly one in three people is undiagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It is specifically because of the perception that lean or skinny people are not prone to the development of this disorder due to which they are left unidentified with the disease. Therefore, the research studies over the couple of years invalidate the myth and traditional concept of the relationship of obesity with type 2 diabetes that only excessively fat people are likely to suffer from this syndrome (Schuster, 2010).

From an empirical study carried out with normal weighted people of Asian descents, it has come to notice that these skinny people have a greater incidence of diabetes type 2 when compared to their counterparts of other descents. According to the investigation, the insulin resistance was at a much higher rate amongst the lean Asian people. Moreover, these people also suffered from fatty liver disease, which has been identified as one of the major causes of the development of type 2 diabetes. Fatty liver disease is usually caused by the intake of high fructose, which is immensely present in sodas, candies, and tin or packed foods (Lovejoy et. al., 1996).

The fact that was significantly highlighted during the study was the body weight of these people. The respondents engaged in the study were normal weighted; however, few respondents were even underweight. The study proved with evidence that obesity does not cause diabetes type 2. Furthermore, the study also claimed that the issue of fatty liver is not only found amongst Asian descents, but people residing in industrialized nations have a greater probability to suffer from it (Lovejoy et. al., 1996).

The experts conclude from the new research studies that the obesity is not a leading cause that results in the development of type 2 diabetes; rather, it is one of the symptoms of the syndrome. According to some schools of thoughts, the relationship of obesity with diabetes type 2 does not exist. It is because normal weighted people remain unchecked for blood sugar disorders (diabetes) by the doctors, even if they exhibit various indicators of such a syndrome. For the doctors, the patient needs to fit in the pattern of obesity (Lovejoy et. al., 1996).

The multiple surveys carried out in the last century exposed the fact that the prevalence of diabetes type 2 amongst the African-American people is much higher when compared to the rest of the American population. Lifestyles of these people were primarily held responsible for this metabolic syndrome. However, a recent study conducted in the early twenty-first century explored strong evidences that genetic problem is the root cause, instead of their standard of living (a prime reason of obesity) (Schisler et. al., 2009).

The qualities of food available in different geographical regions, on which the populations survive since their childhood, tend to affect the genes responsible for the secretion of insulin. The theory of selective adaptation, which determines the adaptation options for the survival of an organism in relation to the environment, plays a significant role here. The food contains varying amounts of glucose in different regions of the world and according to it, the genes are modified which in some regions lead to the development of type 2 diabetes (Schisler et. al., 2009).

However, the experts have nullified the myth of obesity leading to diabetes type 2. Records reveal that incidence of obesity in the past decade has escalated to paramount heights; however, the ratio is not in synchronization to the increase in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. The facts and figures related to diabetes type 2 expose that, from the past few decades, the prevalence of diabetes has only increased by almost five percent, whereas, obesity occurrence has elevated to more or less 25%. Therefore, the researchers conclude that the obesity does not cause the development of diabetes type 2.

Few of the empirical studies have also argued upon the genetic basis of diabetes type 2, due to which obesity cannot be the reason of the disease. According to the analysis of the investigation, majority of the people suffering from the endemic of obesity will never witness the disorder of diabetes type 2 in their life. In addition, Gastaldelli et al. (2004) also argue that unless a human body has genetic flaws (in certain combination) or abnormally inherited genes that are likely to develop diabetes type 2, the person will not suffer from the syndrome. It is also asserted that if the individual genes are weak that can be damaged upon the exposure to various environmental toxins and pesticides, then the possibility of developing diabetes type 2 escalates profoundly (Gastaldelli et al., 2004).

The genetic flaws have appeared to be one of the prevailing driving forces that develop the diabetes type 2 within the human body. One of the research studies has challenged the fact of obesity causing diabetes type 2. Opposite scenario has been explained in this investigation that insulin resistance is a prime aspect leading to the epidemic of obesity within the human body. This study involved two groups of averagely weighted people with normal blood sugar levels (Straczkowski et al., 2003).

One group engaged in the research had relatives suffering from type 2 diabetes; it was the only difference during the study. The study discovered that the skinny individuals who have relatives with diabetes type 2 are more insulin resistant when compared to people with thin relatives of no history of diabetes. It indicates that inherited genes of individuals have a stronger impact on the development of diabetes type 2 in comparison to the factor of obesity (Straczkowski et al., 2003).

A recent study conducted in the last decade of the century published that when individuals are chronically exposed herbicide, atrazine they are a greater risk to diabetes as well as obesity. This herbicide is heavily used in various areas around the United States. The results of the study elucidated that herbicide; atrazine leads the human body to decrease the metabolic rate, which results in abdominal fat and insulin resistance. It is likely to happen even if the people have no change in their diet patterns or physical activities. Drinking water and foods are the two primary mediums through which the human body is exposed to this chemical, which makes them susceptible to the development of type 2 diabetes (Lim et al., 2009).

New studies are strongly emphasizing on the fact that various environmental factors are playing colossal role to the development of diabetes type 2. An empirical study was carried out in the latter years of the decade 2000 brought the fact into the public notice that cancer treatment, especially radiation therapy, elevates the risk of diabetes type 2 amongst the adolescence (Meacham et al., 2009). Additionally, it also published that the risk of diabetes is purely independent of obesity. The children who have successfully recovered from cancer, through radiation therapy, were significantly reported to suffer from diabetes when compared to their siblings. The possibility of developing diabetes type 2 increased amongst those human bodies that went through the radiation therapy as a cure for cancer (Meacham et al., 2009).

The recent years have exhibited wobbling array of findings by hundreds of investigators with respect to the relationship between obesity and diabetes. The study was carried out amongst the Chinese population to determine the relationship between weights of an infant at birth and later development of diabetes. The results of the study concluded that the low weight of the infant at the time of birth and diabetes along with impaired glucose regulation is purely conditional on the nutrients taken by the mother during the pregnancy period. Moreover, obesity and various other factors (like smoking, alcohol intake, family history of the syndrome, and so on) did not play any role in the development of diabetes of the infant and diabetes was independent for these factors (Xiao et. al., 2008).