Overweight diabetics 'live longer' than slimmer diabetics

Conclusion This large prospective cohort following over 10,000 older adults with type 2 diabetes for 10 years has found that while being overweight or obese is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular events, being overweight is linked to reduced risk of death. This is similar to the "obesity paradox" seen in some other studies, where being overweight or obese is associated with a survival benefit in people with established cardiovascular disease. The researchers note that 16 other studies have assessed the same question and found conflicting results. Their study aimed to improve on the methods in these studies, and its large sample size and prospective design, following people for 10 years, are strengths. However, caution must be taken before concluding from the findings of this cohort that "being FAT", as Mail Online states, is a good thing for people with type 2 diabetes. There are important points to note: The cohort demonstrated significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease events, such as heart attack and heart failure, for overweight or obese people with type 2 diabetes compared to healthy weight individuals. This is consistent with what is already known about the risks of overweight and obesity for cardiovascular disease. The researchers adjusted their analyses for various factors, including age, blood pressure, other illnesses and smoking history. However, other unmeasured confounding factors (confounders) could still be infl...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Diabetes Food/diet Obesity Source Type: news