The situation is extremely serious and the entire nation needs to be educated as to what can be in store for them if the proper steps are not taken to prevent this catastrophe. The actual result can seriously impact the lifespan of these individuals by 10-15 years. This disease takes a serious toll on the patients' health. The consequences of obesity can not only lead to type 2 diabetes, but can also lead to heart disease, circulatory problems (especially of the lower extremities), and various types of cancer. The obese individual is particularly prone to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. It because of the malfunction of insulin, that makes the greater majority of obese persons very much at risk for getting Type 2 diabetes. It is important to clarify this statement by saying you don't have to be obese, but can be of normal weight, or even underweight, and still get type 2 diabetes. A great deal will depend how well the individual's liver is functioning.
The liver is the body's filtering system for fat. The individual with "fatty liver"syndrome may not present any symptoms at the start of the disease until it has reached advanced stages. Individuals with Type1 diabetes cannot make insulin. However, individuals with Type 2 diabetes do make insulin, but unfortunately a disparity in the functioning of their body cells cannot utilize it properly in regulating the glucose within the body. Due this irregularity of the body becoming resistant to insulin, the pancreas needs to produce more insulin in order to compensate for the body's needs, causing the ups and downs that type 2 diabetics go through. The obese individual may be more at risk than those of normal weight because they are more prone to developing fatty liver syndrome. That is not to say that an individual of normal weight cannot develop "fatty liver" syndrome as well. "Fatty liver" syndrome can be caused by many other factors, such as, diets very high in fats and transfats, environmental causes such as various pollutants, chemicals such ads found in many gardening items, insecticides, PCB'S as found in plastics, etc.