Glucose meter and fresh ripe raw vegetables, desk of healthy organic vegetables, concept for healthy eating and diabetes. Isolated on white background

Diabesity: what it is, what risks and how to prevent it

By Cristiano Antonino On Mar 30, 2023

The term “diabesity” was coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) to describe the relationship between diabetes and obesity

These two conditions, which often coexist in the same person and which for this reason can aggravate the clinical picture, increasing the risk of developing very serious complications.

Diabetes and obesity are unfortunately on the increase, in all age groups, and are presenting themselves today more and more precociously, often precisely manifesting themselves together.

The relationship between diabetes and obesity

There are about 3.5 million Italians with diabetes, i.e. 5.5% of the population: one in 20 people.

24% of type 1 diabetics are overweight or obese, while in the case of type 2 diabetics the number rises to 66.4%.

These data highlight the close relationship between the two pathologies: obesity is in fact often the cause of diabetes.

The WHO estimates that obesity is at the root of 58% of cases of diabetes in our country.

Furthermore, according to the WHO, obesity is 21% the cause of coronary heart disease, 8 to 42% of various tumors and ranks fifth among the diseases that cause mortality in the world.

Today about 40% of the Italian population is overweight and 10% is obese.

These are alarming numbers and WHO estimates are even more so.

These predict that overweight and obesity could involve 70% of the population in Italy within the next 15 years.

The risks of diabesity

Diabesity is a worrying condition because its health risks are very serious, being able to lead not only to the onset of complications but also to mortality.

An overweight diabetic doubles the risk of mortality within 10 years compared to a normal weight diabetic, while an obese diabetic even quadruples this risk.

Furthermore, if obesity has been present for a long time in the person with diabetes, the risk is even greater and extremely dangerous.

How to prevent diabesity

To avoid the onset of diabetes, prevention is essential.

If you are overweight or obese, the first step necessary to get back to feeling good and avoid the development of complications is to lose weight and stabilize your weight.

It has been demonstrated that physical exercise is the most effective “medicine” in this sense and that, combined with a correct lifestyle, a balanced diet and compliance with the assigned pharmacological therapy, it can help maintain a good state of health and fight against obesity.

Only in extreme cases, when all these good practices and drug treatment are not enough, is metabolic surgery planned.

Never underestimate extra pounds: they are not just an aesthetic problem but a great risk to your health.

Trust an expert to guide you in the right direction and thus live more serenely.