This article is from the WebMD News Archive
WebMD Health News by Brenda Goodman, MA
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Aug. 7, 2012 -- People who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes appear to live longer than people whose body weight is normal when their disease is detected, a new study shows.
Obesity increases the risks for illness and early death. Despite this, doctors have long puzzled over why bigger patients with certain chronic diseases seem to fare better than those who are thin.
This so-called "obesity paradox" has been noted in patients with kidney disease, heart failure, and high blood pressure.
The new study, which is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests the protective effect of a higher body mass index (BMI) may also extend to people with type 2 diabetes. BMI is a measure of size that accounts for both height and weight.
