Why Obese Men Are at a High Risk of Diabetes

Obesity is a common risk factor for a number of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and even cancer. A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. It has become a serious lifestyle disease especially in urban settings. The effect of obesity may differ from person to person depending upon their metabolic rate, genetic disposition, exercise habits and other factors. A new study shows that it may also affect men and women differently. 

 

Published in the Journal Scientific Reports, this latest study indicates that obese men are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than obese women. The research team found that this is due to differences in the activity of a protein in the muscle. A particular protein called PTEN (for Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) functions differently in men and women.

 

 

According to M. Constantine Samaan, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University in Canada, "In our study, women's muscle appeared more efficient in neutralising this protein, and this allows insulin to work better to move sugar from circulation to muscle."

 

As people become overweight, their skeletal muscle develops insulin resistance that can lead to Type 2 diabetes. When PTEN is active, it prevents insulin from signalling properly in muscle, which reduces the amount of sugar a muscle takes. This 'muscle insulin resistance' increases the chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.

 

"This protein is one explanation of why women are relatively protected from Type 2 diabetes, despite having more body fat content compared to men at a given weight," Samaan added.

 

This is the first potential study that explains why women have higher insulin sensitivity than men. The team hopes that these findings will pave way for further studies on how to improve muscle responses to insulin which can help to treat and prevent diabetes.

 

Last year, Public Health England stated for the first time that belly fat was one of the major risk factors of Type-2 diabetes. They pointed out that men who measure more than 102cm (40 inches) around the middle are five times more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than men with a smaller waist.

 

 

Being overweight affects your body’s ability to maintain proper blood glucose levels. It may make your body resistant to insulin. The prolonged effects of the insulin resistance puts you at a higher risk of diabetes.