Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes in Adults

Type 2 diabetes limits the body's processing of glucose, or blood sugar. Referred to as adult-onset diabetes, this form of diabetes does not arrive at birth. Johns Hopkins indicates that 80 percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes are obese. Reasons for elevated risks of adult-onset diabetes due to obesity are not fully understood.

Effects

• Cardiovascular problems related to diabetes may trigger kidney, nerve, eye, foot and heart damage. In terms of diabetes' correlation to obesity, medical professionals do theorize that excessive weight places too much stress upon the pancreas, which produces insulin to transport blood sugar.

Symptoms

• Obesity symptoms include large masses of body fat, excessive sweating, back pain, fatigue and depression. Diabetics suffer from elevated thirst, intense hunger, darkened skin, frequent urination and blurred vision.

Tests

• Blood sugar tests can be taken randomly, or after a period of fasting. High blood sugar levels suggest diabetes.

Lifestyle Changes

• There is no cure for diabetes, but its complications may be managed by intelligent lifestyle decisions. Eat healthy foods and exercise to drop weight and preserve blood flow.

Additional Treatment

• Doctors may recommend weight loss surgery, insulin injections or medications designed to reduce glucose levels when your body does not effectively respond to diet and exercise alone.