Lifestyle and health - AQA SynergyObesity and type 2 diabetes
Health is the state of physical, mental and social well-being. It is not just being free from disease. Communicable diseases can be transferred from one person to another, whilst non-communicable diseases cannot.
Being obese - with deposits of lipidFat or oils, composed of fatty acids and glycerol. in the abdomen - increases blood pressure beyond normal levels and increases levels of blood lipids.
Type 2 diabetes
Body fat also affects the body's ability to use insulinA hormone that regulates the level of sugar in the blood and can be produced by genetically modified bacteria..
Type 2 diabetes is where the body's cells lose their sensitivity to insulin - they no longer respond, or respond less effectively, to the insulin that's produced.
Obesity accounts for 80 to 85% of the risk of type 2 diabetes. Rising obesity is linked with diets that include energy-rich 'fast foods' and an inactive lifestyle.
The bar charts show the increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes associated with people's BMIBody Mass Index, calculated by dividing a person's mass (in kilograms) by the square of their height (in metres)..
Figure caption,
The increased risk of type 2 diabetes in relation to BMI, for men and for women
The risk of developing cardiovascular diseaseDisease relating to the heart and the blood vessels. and type 2 diabetes can be reduced by eating a balanced diet, with unrefined, unprocessed, 'whole foods', and taking regular exercise.
There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but it can be controlled with a balanced diet and exercise.