Research
Energy balance
Obesity (BMI > 25) is a major preventable cause of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), with a higher population attributable risk than for coronary heart disease.
Maintaining a healthy weight (BMI < 25) is the most effective way to prevent type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing diabetes drops dramatically as you move away from overweight status.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
about 64% of male and 77% of female cases of NIDDM could theoretically have been prevented if no person would have had a BMI over 25 kg/m2.
Why this rating
Based on large prospective studies cited.
Source
Time Trends in Obesity: An Epidemiological Perspective
Jacob C. Seidell · Hormone and Metabolic Research · 1997
DOI 10.1055/s-2007-979011
narrative_reviewCited 173×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Small, persistent positive energy balances (approx. 2 kcal/day) are sufficient to drive population-level obesity prevalence increases, primarily through reduced energy expenditure rather than increased intake.Good
- Maintaining a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 is responsible for the majority of the population attributable risk for coronary heart disease mortality.Good
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