In a study from Claremont Graduate University and elsewhere, scientists found metabolic health and weight management are the key to minimizing diabetes risk.
They found that being metabolically unhealthy increases diabetes risk, even in women of normal weight.
In the study, the team used data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI).
As women age and transition through menopause, the prevalence of diabetes increases.
More specifically, older women who have increased abdominal fat are at risk for type 2 diabetes because of the development of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.
Recent studies have suggested that even women of normal weight may be at increased risk of diabetes if they are metabolically unhealthy.
Metabolic health is based on the combined levels of blood sugar, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol), as well as blood pressure and waist circumference.
In this study, the researchers sought to determine the link between various metabolic weight categories and diabetes risk in older women who participated in the WHI.
They found that metabolically unhealthy women of normal weight, as well as metabolically healthy women who are overweight, had about a two-fold increased risk for developing diabetes.
This confirmed that even women of normal weight could be at risk of diabetes, depending on their metabolic health.
In comparison, women who were metabolically unhealthy and overweight were four times more likely to develop the disease.
The team says this study provides evidence that being of normal weight yet metabolically unhealthy is associated with an increased risk for diabetes.
Educating women about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cardiometabolic risk factors for diabetes and heart disease is important.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that flaxseed oil is more beneficial than fish oil to people with diabetes, and green tea and coffee could help reduce death risk in diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that Mediterranean diet could help reduce the diabetes risk by one third, and heavy cannabis use may decrease the incidence of diabetes.
The study was conducted by Amber R Cordola Hsu et al and published in Menopause.
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