Relationship between Obesity and Type 2 diabetes Mellitus

According to World Health Organization, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are considered as the epidemic of 21st century. The rising burden of obesity over the last few decades has resulted in ever-increasing prevalence of T2DM. Both obesity and T2DM are linked with insulin resistance which is a fundamental factor in the aetiology of T2DM. In obese individuals, adipose tissue particularly in visceral fat depots releases increased amount of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), hormones and pro-inflammatory cytokines that are strongly linked with the development of insulin resistance. The progressive rise in insulin resistance accompanied with impaired pancreatic betacells functions result in the failure to control glucose levels in obese patients. In addition, gene-environment interaction continues to be the most important factor in the pathogenesis of obesity and T2DM. In this review, we discuss the process linking obesity with T2DM.