Overweight or Obesity in Adults with Diabetes

Adults who are obese are at higher risk for having complications from diabetes. Excess body weight is linked to insulin resistance. Weight control can increase the efficiency of the insulin receptors in the cells. The determination of being overweight or obese is based on a calculated height to weight ratio known as Body Mass Index (BMI). According to the American Heart Association (AHA), BMI is measured as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). In studies by the National Center for Health Statistics,

• BMI values less than 18.5 are considered underweight.
• BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9 are healthy.
• Overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25.0 to 29.9. People with BMIs in this range have an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disease, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater, which is about 30 pounds or more overweight. People with BMIs of 30 or more are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• Extreme obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or greater.

The AHA notes that, some well-trained people with dense muscle mass may have a high BMI score but very little body fat. For them a waist circumference, skin fold or fat fold measurement, or a more direct method of measuring body fat may be more useful.

A BMI calculator, where an individual can enter height and weight, can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm.

• In Virginia, in 2005, overweight and obesity trends in adults with diabetes are as follows:
• 30.9 percent of adults with diabetes are overweight as compared to 36.5 percent of adults without diabetes.
• 52.4 percent of adults with diabetes are overweight as compared to 23.1 percent of adults without diabetes.

• Persons with diabetes are 2.3 times more likely to be obese than those without diabetes.

Healthy People 2010 Objectives:
(19-1) Increase the proportion of adults with diabetes who are at a healthy weight to 26 percent.
(19-2) Reduce the proportion of adults with diabetes who are obese to 41 percent.

Source: AHA, www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3044776; VA BRFSS, 2000-2005
Data Note: Percents are weighted towards annual population estimates.

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