Historically, we’re told that obesity not only exacerbates pretty much any disease, but in fact is a leading contributor to a number of those diseases.

Surprisingly, that may not necessarily hold true in the case of type 2 diabetes, though.

Study data collected over several years, which focused on development of type 2 diabetes revealed that individuals who were not overweight when diagnosed with diabetes had almost two times the risk of dying every year than those who were overweight or obese.

The studies this conclusion is based on involved both men and women who developed incident diabetes within the larger study groups focused on heart disease. The participants were over age 40, and also differentiated on BMIs of below 25 for normal weight and over 25 for overweight or obese.

This time intensive study finding was published in the Journal of American Medical Association.
Before you belly up to the bar at your favorite buffet though, a number of other issues need to be considered. Study leaders are quick to advise that gaining weight upon a diabetes diagnosis is not advisable.

Instead, the unexpected results tend to raise even more questions which study data cannot necessarily answer. For instance, the study may not indicate the amount various participants smoked (of those who were smokers.) It is also possible that some participants may have undergone a recent weight loss upon diagnosis but prior to data collection.

Also keep in mind that only 12% of those developing type 2 diabetes were NOT overweight. So obesity is obviously a huge risk factor in developing this disease. And there might even be a different type of type 2 diabetes that hunts slimmer people. The questions are endless.

So, as interesting as these findings are, in no way did it suggest that heavier is overall healthier.
If anything, it seems to invite more detailed follow up research to better understand other differences that might be present in those leaner individuals with higher mortality rates versus the overweight participants.

Meanwhile, practice healthy, all natural ways to eliminate Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome here…