There are two different kinds of diabetes, both of which hinge upon the effects of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that causes the body's tissues to absorb sugar from the blood, which helps keep sugar levels in the blood from getting too high.
Type 1 diabetes typically begins early in life and is the result of the immune system destroying cells in the pancreas that create diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is not affected by obesity.
Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is marked by the gradual development of insulin resistance. As a result, the body's tissues do not respond as strongly to insulin, causing them to not absorb as much sugar as they normally would. As a result, blood sugar levels rise. In addition, as the pancreas responds to these stressful conditions, it gradually begins to taper off its insulin output. Type 2 diabetes is the kind that can result from obesity.
Obesity and Insulin Resistance
According to the American Heart Association, one of the ways obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes is through the development of insulin resistance. Not only has the American Heart Association noticed a strong correlation between insulin resistance and obesity, but obesity also can lead to other conditions that cause insulin resistance.
Obese people also often have high blood pressure and problems with lipid levels in their blood (such as high amounts of cholesterol). These conditions also appear to cause changes throughout the body that promote insulin resistance. Even more compelling is that results from some studies that the American Heart Association has done demonstrate that weight loss in obese patients also drastically improves their insulin resistance.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
A recent study published in 2009 by Nature highlighted another mechanism by which obesity could lead to diabetes. This study, which was published by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies focused on how obesity can lead to a condition known as endoplasmic reticulum stress. The endoplasmic reticulum is a small component in cells and can become overly active in people who are obese and have a very high fat diet. As a result, the endoplasmic reticulum will send chemical signals out to the liver, which causes it to make more sugar than it normally would. As a result, blood sugar levels rise in the body, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
