Obesity, unlike diabetes, can not by itself increase the risk of premature death

The unaccompanied by diabetes obesity does not expose those affected to a greater risk of developing severe disease or at risk of premature death, according to a study published in "Critical Care" that challenges a strong idea rooted in the medical community.
The least surprising result from the study conducted by Katarina Slynkova at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, goes against the idea that obesity alone is a risk factor for disease serious.

Obesity, whose prevalence is increasing worldwide, is actually accused of all evils, especially cause serious life-threatening diseases (myocardial infarction, diabetes, and even cancer). However, the influence of body mass index (BMI, weight ratio of the square of height) on morbidity and mortality remains controversial.

To shed light on this point, the researchers analyzed data from more than 15,400 aged 44 to 66 people who participated in a study on atherosclerosis between 1986 and 1989. In particular, they examined their BMI, presence of diabetes, a history of serious illness (acute impairment affecting an important function of the body, such as cardiac, respiratory, renal, hepatic function ...) and mortality during the three years of the study.

The development of acute organ failure was similar for all subgroups defined by researchers according to the BMI of participants: 0.9% for people of normal weight, 0.8% for overweight and 0.9% obese.

Similarly, these three groups had similar mortality to three years. However, people with diabetes had a mortality rate of 5.4%, against 1.6% in non-diabetics, the researchers reported.

These conclude that individuals with diabetes are three times more likely to develop serious illness and die younger than those who are not affected, and that, whatever their BMI. In contrast, obese but do not have diabetes have the same risk as non-diabetics of normal weight.

These studies raise the question of the mechanisms underlying the complex relationship between obesity, diabetes and critical illness, and therefore deserve to be thorough, they say.