01 August,2014 10:22 AM IST | | IANS
A British health report has warned that adults with a large waistline are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Watch your waistline
London: A British health report has warned that adults with a large waistline are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
In its report, the Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency of Britain's Department of Health, said they encourage people to monitor their waistline and assess risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Representational Picture
According to the report, men having a large waist circumference of over 102cm (40 inches)are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Women with a large waist circumference of over 88cm (34.6 inches) are three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, Xinhua reported.
ALSO READ
National Nutrition Week: All you need to know about nutrition for women’s health
Chronic diseases can increase risk of inflammation, cognitive decline: Experts
Sugar-sweetened beverages pose significant health risks, warn experts
Study reveals new facts about Ozempic, the viral weight-loss drug
Weight-loss drugs & viral diet trends: Are they worth it for weight management?
Currently 90 percent of the adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, and the prevalence of both obesity and diabetes are on the increase, said PHE experts.
Being overweight or obese is the main avoidable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, they added.
According to Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, type 2 diabetes is a very serious public health issue which can have significant consequences, such as limb amputations or blindness.
The key to reducing your chances of type 2 diabetes is losing weight which can be achieved through a healthy diet and being more active, she added.
The report also revealed that deprivation is closely linked to the risk of both -- obesity and diabetes in Britain, with type 2 diabetes being 40 percent more common among people in the poorest communities compared to the rich ones.
