Body mass index may not only be a determinant of how one looks, but it also speaks volumes when it comes to the health of the individual. Researchers showed that it is one of the major risk factors in the development of type 2 diabetes. This means that when a person has a higher BMI, his risk of suffering from diabetes also increases.

The study, which was presented at the European Cardiology Congress, conducted by researchers from Cambridge, looked into 445,765 participants from the UK Biobank.

More than half of the participants were female. The average age of the participants was 57 and the researchers closely monitored them until the age of 65. Out of the women, there were 31,298 participants who developed type 2 diabetes. They also ascertained that the group with the highest BMI had an 11-fold increase in the risk of developing diabetes as compared to those with lower BMIs. The increased risk was regardless of genetic factors.

The researchers also noted that the risk was not dependent on the length of the time that a person remains overweight or beyond his BMI's cut-off point. Even if the period where the individual became overweight was only for a short time, it is enough to trigger irregular blood sugar levels, Independent reported.

Dr Brian Ference, Director of Research in Translational Therapeutics and the Executive Director of the Centre for Naturally Randomised Trials at Cambridge University, and one of the authors of the study said that the results of their study suggest that when individuals cross a BMI threshold, their risk of diabetes would also go up. He added that it will stay at the same risk regardless of how long the people remained overweight.

The results of the study showed that many of the cases of the disease can be reversed or presented whenever the BMI is kept within normal levels. When the BMI goes beyond the cut-off point, it is at this stage when abnormal blood sugar levels start to manifest.

Researchers also noted that people have different thresholds when it comes to their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is why there are people who seemed beyond their normal weight, yet they have normal blood sugar levels. On the other hand, there are those who develop the condition yet they are within their healthy weight.

BMI and Diabetes BMI and Diabetes
type 2 diabetes and coronavirus Photo: PhotoMIX-Company - Pixabay

The findings simply highlight the need to be mindful of the body's BMI, measure it, and monitor blood sugar levels of people who are at high risk.