Obesity and diabetes are two health issues that can increase your risk for other serious and potentially life-threatening conditions, including heart disease.
At Castle Hills Family Practice, our experienced medical team offers comprehensive care for diabetes to protect your health. Our team can also provide recommendations to help you get your weight under control, so you can maintain a healthy body weight moving forward.
Being overweight can significantly increase the likelihood that you’ll also develop Type 2 diabetes, so it’s important that you don’t put off an evaluation of your health.
Understanding obesity
Obesity is a complex medical condition that describes having excess body weight.
In addition to causing issues with your esteem and self-confidence, being obese can increase your risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes.
To determine the health of your body weight, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you use the body mass index (BMI) calculator.
What to know about diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body processes the sugar it gets from your diet. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that often develops in childhood because your body doesn’t produce insulin, a hormone responsible for controlling your blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes generally occurs because of an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. When you have this condition, your body can’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t properly use the insulin it makes to keep your blood sugar levels regulated.
Why obesity is closely linked to diabetes
There is a strong link between obesity and Type 2 diabetes. In fact, if you’re obese, you’re six times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than someone who maintains a healthy weight.
When your body is healthy, your pancreas produces insulin to move glucose out of your bloodstream and into your muscles to generate energy. Insulin may also move glucose to your liver for later use.
When you’re obese, your cells can prevent insulin from moving glucose into your muscles. Being obese can also cause your liver to fill with fat, so it can no longer hold anything else.
This ultimately leads to high levels of glucose in your blood, which can lead to damage in your blood vessels and nerves. Your pancreas can also wear out and not be able to produce the insulin you need to be healthy.
How to start reducing your risk for obesity and diabetes complications
The best thing you can do now to lower your risk for complications for diabetes and obesity is to get your weight under control. Losing even a small amount of excess body fat can greatly reduce your risk for diabetes.
As part of our preventive care services, we can help you identify the factors in your lifestyle and your health that interfere with successful weight loss. We work closely with you to create low-calorie, low-fat meals that support your weight loss goals. Our team can also suggest daily exercises you can do to achieve a healthy body weight.
If you already have diabetes, we can customize a treatment plan to manage it. In addition to lifestyle and diet changes, you may need medications to keep your blood sugar levels low.
Call or book an appointment online at our Castle Hills Family Practice office nearest you in San Antonio, Texas to schedule a physical exam or a diabetes evaluation today.
