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August 03, 2012

Maintain a Healthy BMI and Vitamin D Level to Decrease Your Risk for Diabetes

Unfortunately for your health, the combination of obesity and Vitamin D deficiency create a bigger risk for diabetes than either one alone.

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Obesity and low levels of Vitamin D both increase your risk of insulin resistance. But according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Drexel University School of Public Health and published online in the journal Diabetes Care, this risk level is bumped up in those with a combination of these conditions. And with a greater risk of insulin resistance comes an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

"Vitamin D insufficiency and obesity are individual risk factors for insulin resistance and diabetes," lead author and doctoral candidate Shaum Kabadi is quoted as saying on MedicalNewsToday.com. "Our results suggest that the combination of these two factors increases the odds of insulin resistance to an even greater degree than would have been expected based on their individual contributions."

During the course of the study, researchers found that if you are obese yet have healthy levels of Vitamin D in your system, you are 20 times more likely to have insulin resistance than non-obese people. But if you are obese and suffering from a Vitamin D deficiency, you are 32 times more likely to have insulin resistance. Researchers were unable to determine whether obesity makes a Vitamin D deficiency more likely or if it’s the other way around.

But one thing is clear: if you have either or both of these conditions, it’s a good idea to start doing what you can to correct them. Giving yourself a diet makeover and keeping a food journal are good ways to start losing weight. To get more Vitamin D, you may want to look into getting food supplements—or you can go natural by simply getting your daily dose of sunshine.

(Photo by Amy Pospiech via Flickr Creative Commons)