A popular term for the common clinical association of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. These two conditions have reached epidemic proportions and they not only share the same underlying causes but require similar treatment.
How common is Diabesity?
Diabesity has already become a worldwide epidemic with a significant health and economic burden affecting both developed and developing countries. Every obese person is at a high risk of acquiring type 2 Diabetes.
What are the Problems associated with Diabesity?
Common medical complications associated with Diabesity include:-
- Coronary Heart Disease,
- Stroke/Cerebral Vascular Accident,
- DVT and pulmonary embolism,
- Sleep apnea
- Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Gallbladder Disease
- Fatty Liver
- Infertility
- Hypogonadism
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Breast/bowel/prostate/endometrial/kidney/esophageal/liver/pancreatic cancer.
What are the signs and symptoms of Diabesity?
Diabesity is defined as a constellation of signs that constitutes what is commonly referred to as metabolic syndrome characterized by:-
- Central obesity. (defined as waist circumference ≥ 40 inches for men and ≥ 35cm for women)
- Dyslipidemia:-i.e. raised Total lipid levels, high LDL&reduced HDL cholesterol.
- High blood pressure.
- High blood sugar/ or previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes
What are the treatment options for Diabesity?
For most people, neither dieting nor current pharmacological interventions are effective in achieving long-term weight reduction. To treat Diabesity, approaches must be developed to modulate the ways in which the brain controls metabolism, body weight and composition.
The most effective long-term treatment is Bariatric/ Weight loss surgery which includes procedures such as:-
- Laparascopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).
- Vertical Banded Gastroplasty.
- Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch.
- Roux- en- Y Gastric Bypass.
- Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy.