Researchers at Loyola University Health System report 62.4 percent of U.S. adults with type 2 diabetes are obese and 20.7 percent are morbidly obese -- more than 100 pounds heavier than ideal body weight, or have a body ass index of more than 40. Among African-American adults with type 2 diabetes, one in three is morbidly obese.
"The rate of morbid obesity among people with diabetes is increasing at a very alarming rate and this has substantial public health implications," lead author Dr. Holly Kramer said in a statement.
Kramer and colleagues examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys that included interviews and physical examinations for the representative samples of the U.S. population completed from l976-2006. The researchers found a 141 percent increase in the rate of morbid obesity in type 2 diabetes between survey periods 1976-1980 and 2005-2006.
Morbid obesity was defined as having a body mass index -- a measure of body fat based on height and weight -- greater than 40.
The study findings are published online in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications.
Free Diabetic Recipe Book
Get your free meal guide and recipe booklet today, packed with more than 60 recipes to help you or your loved ones better manage diabetes symptoms.
Click here to get yours!
