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Body Composition and Diabetes

Here’s the bad news: Visceral body fat, a fat which wraps around organs like your kidneys, also known as abdominal fat, contributes to diabetes risk. It has been confirmed time and time again that higher central obesity increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

Last week I talked about how higher central obesity, or belly fat, can contribute to high blood pressure, which is also a common symptom for Type 2 Diabetics.

If you are starting to gain or have gained visceral body fat, it is a sign that your body may be insulin resistant and fat is being stored rather than burned. Your body uses carbohydrates, protein and fat to provide energy for your body. If your cells are insulin resistant, then sugar from your diet (typically carbohydrate sources) is stored as fat rather than used for fuel.

The good news is that you have control over improving your body composition and reducing visceral body fat along with your risk of diseases associated with unhealthy body composition.

An improved body composition can help diabetics improve their lives. By eliminating the cause of the disease, like poor lifestyle habits such as a high carbohydrate diet, the symptoms will reduce or resolve completely. Losing visceral fat while avoiding muscle loss is key. Reducing unhealthy carbohydrate sources while maintaining healthy protein intake will help reduce stored fat and maintain lean tissue.

The Live Well Team at Pharmasave have tools and training to coach you with lifestyle change for the better. Come in and speak to us today about body composition and how you can improve your overall health.

Dan Cassidy, Nutritional Product Adviser