Obese people suffering from diabetes are more vulnerable to develop heart disease. Obesity and diabetes go hand-in-hand. Previous studies have shown that these two conditions increase the risk of developing many chronic health problems. To assess the lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among individuals with and without obesity and diabetes, researchers in America followed 3,400 adults for 30 years. They measured the insulin levels and body mass index (BMI) of the participants time to time. The lifetime risk of developing heart disease was based on the likelihood that a 50-year-old would develop heart disease in the next 30 years. It was found that women who were obese and diabetic had a nearly 80 percent chance of developing heart disease at some point during their lifetime. This was against the 34 percent risk of developing heart disease for normal weight and non-diabetic women. For their male counterparts, those who were obese and diabetic were at a 90 percent risk of developing heart disease as against a 65 percent risk for non-diabetic men whose BMI were in permissible limits. The above findings suggest that diabetes on its own significantly raises the lifetime risk of heart disease, and that obesity worsens the situation. This should spread a word of caution for obese and diabetic people.
Diabetes Care
August 2008
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