The Concept of CMR

Preventing type 2 diabetes

It behoves those involved in treating diabetes or its complications to recognize that weight loss is the best way to prevent type 2 diabetes in overweight and obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. Many clinicians remain very much focused on improving glycemic control and blood lipids rather than inducing weight loss, and few diabetic clinics provide treatment or support that truly focuses on weight management. More holistic approaches to treating diabetes are needed, including one that does not only rely on expensive drugs to treat each dysmetabolic component. Effective weight management interventions should be initiated as soon as diabetes—or even pre-diabetic states such as impaired glucose tolerance or abdominal obesity—are diagnosed. The term “diabesity” has been coined because it reflects both etiology and clinical presentation. Its use could help ensure that excess body fat (abdominal obesity in particular) takes its rightful place as the major cause of type 2 diabetes (24).