Obesity linked to chronic disease.

A recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrine Metabolism discussed the link between type 1 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Previously, people were aware of a strong link between type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, but new research points to strong association between type 1 diabetes and chronic kidney disease as well.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TYPE 1 and TYPE 2 DIABETES?

Many people are familiar with Type 2 diabetes. This is because a majority of people with diabetes have type 2. In type 2 diabetes the pancreas either produces too little insulin or the body cannot use the insulin effectively to manage blood sugar. This condition can be a result of lifestyle factors such as being overweight or obese, having a large amount of abdominal fat, inactivity, or having high cholesterol. Other factors that can contribute to type 2 diabetes include family history, race and ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander), age, pregnancy, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and uncontrolled pre-diabetes. When the blood sugar is unregulated and builds up in the bloodstream, complications can occur. These complications include heart disease, nerve damage, eye damage, skin conditions, hearing impairment, sleep apnea, dementia, slow healing after infections and chronic kidney disease.

Type 1 diabetes on the other hand, usually appears early on in life during childhood or adolescence. In type 1 diabetes the immune system destroys the cells that make insulin, therefore leaving the body with little to no insulin. There is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes and is often hereditary. Due to lack of insulin, people with this form of diabetes have to rely on insulin injections to help manage their blood sugar. The same health complications can occur from unregulated blood sugar in type 1 diabetes as type 2.

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OBESITY + DIABETES + CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

The general American population is seeing a rapid increase in numbers of obesity among adults. Similarly, adults with type 1 diabetes are also seeing higher rate of increasing obesity. The article published in the Journal of Journal of Clinical Endocrine Metabolism found from 2004 to 2018, obesity rates among patients with type 1 diabetes increased from 32.6% to 36.8%, while obesity rates among people with type 2 diabetes remained stable at 60%. The researchers also found that when taking age into account, prevalence of chronic kidney disease was higher in patients with type 1 diabetes than type 2 (16.2% and 9.3% respectively).

The takeaway to point out here is that we know obesity can lead to risk for both developing type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease however, new research has uncovered that people with type 1 diabetes who become obese see an even greater risk for developing chronic kidney disease. Weight management is crucial in helping to lower risk for development of kidney disease!

(Journal of Clinical Endocrine Metabolism)

(Medicalnewstoday.com)

(cdc.gov)

(mayoclinic.org)