Researchers said that diabetics who are also obese would have a reduced life expectancy of eight years. The study involved taking measurements of the body mass index (BMI) where more than 30 was considered obese and over 35 severely obese.

Participants of the study included 44,188 patients with type 2, or adult onset diabetes.

It was discovered that excess weight was the biggest contributing factor to type 2 diabetes and the most preventable risk. Research has shown that type 2 diabetes occurs when the body begins to become less sensitive to the actions of insulin as the weight increases, causing the pancreas to produce excess insulin, which then leads to a resistance to insulin.

Type 1 diabetes, in which little to no insulin is produced, exists mostly in children and adolescents, and makes up for 10 percent to 15 percent of cases.

The study found that type 2 sufferers with a BMI of 35 or higher were 70 years old, compared to the patients with a BMI of 20 to 24 who were 78 years old.

Experts predicted that a 5 percent to 10 percent weight loss could decrease the likelihood of diabetes and other illnesses associated with it such as macular degeneration and high cholesterol.

Although there is no cure for diabetes, experts have agreed it can be controlled through a regime of diet and exercise, oral medication or insulin injections. Experts added that it is critical for people with diabetes to manage their weight to prevent the risk of serious health complications such as heart attack and stroke.

Yahoo News! March 16, 2004