Research
Hormonal
Obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress are common metabolic pathways linking diabetes and hypertension, with central obesity acting as a primary cause of the metabolic syndrome.
Managing weight and reducing visceral fat is the most effective way to address the root causes of both diabetes and high blood pressure. Focus on lifestyle optimization (diet, exercise) to reduce insulin resistance and inflammation, as these are the shared drivers of both conditions.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Obesity, inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance are thought to be the common pathways... Central obesity is the cause of the metabolic syndrome.
Why this rating
Based on extensive review of genetic, epidemiological, and pathophysiological studies.
Source
Diabetes and Hypertension: Is There a Common Metabolic Pathway?
Bernard M.Y. Cheung et al. · Current Atherosclerosis Reports · 2012
DOI 10.1007/s11883-012-0227-2
narrative_reviewCited 584×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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