Spreading girth in middle age increases risk of diabetes

Thu, 24 Jun 2010
The traditional loosening of the belt in middle age, when weight goes up and exercise goes down, can dramatically raise the risk of diabetes, a new report has revealed. It was found that the problem of middle-age spread, usually between the ages of 50 and 65, can actually triple the risk of developing type two diabetes .

The study, undertaken by researchers at University of Washington in Seattle, found that whatever a person's weight when they reach the age of 50, putting on another 20 pounds or more made them three times more likely to develop diabetes than those who did not gain weight.

For those that were already categorised as obese at the age of 50 and then gained a further 20 pounds, were five times more likely to develop type two diabetes compared with those who were not obese and did not put on any more weight.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also showed that people who gained weight around their middle also increased their risk of diabetes.

Mary Biggs, lead author of the research, said "The results of this study affirm the importance of maintaining optimal weight during middle age for prevention of diabetes and, while requiring confirmation, suggest that weight control remains important in reducing diabetes risk among adults 65 years of age and older."

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