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Being overweight is a stepping stone to many health concerns, one of which is diabetes. When you have excess weight, especially around the abdominal area, this can be a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Those who are obese have an excess amount of body fat, which in turn causes insulin resistance, i.e., the cells of your body are unable to effectively use insulin, leading to poor glucose uptake. As a result, your blood sugar level spikes, and over a period of time, you may develop diabetes.

If we look at the wide range of consequences that may occur due to obesity and diabetes, it includes heart diseases, stroke, atherosclerosis, and even shorter life expectancy.

As we all know, diabetes is not confined to increased blood sugar—it is only a symptom of the condition. Diabetes mostly occurs due to either an insulin deficiency or the body’s inability to utilize insulin effectively.

High blood sugar can lead to a wide range of complications, which in turn affect various organs and systems in the body. The major organs primarily affected by diabetes are the heart and blood vessels. High sugar levels damage blood vessels, leading to an increased risk of atherosclerosis (i.e., fat or cholesterol plaques in the walls of arteries), which can cause heart disease or stroke.

Diabetes also significantly impacts the kidneys, the organs responsible for filtering waste products from the blood and excreting them. However, high blood sugar can damage the kidney’s filtration process, leading to kidney failure, known as diabetic nephropathy.

You may often hear about the numbness and tingling pain in the feet or hands of diabetic patients. This condition, called diabetic neuropathy, results from nerve damage that causes loss of sensation. As a result, individuals with diabetes often do not notice wounds. Due to high sugar levels in the blood, bacteria tend to grow more easily at wound sites, leading to poor healing. If blood sugar is not controlled, it can lead to severe ulcers or even gangrene (death of body tissue caused by bacterial infection or poor blood flow).

Additionally, diabetes can affect the retinal blood vessels, causing blurred vision or even blindness, a condition known as diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes can also affect the skin, leading to various infections, most commonly fungal infections. It weakens the immune system, and high blood sugar levels can increase cholesterol and cause other complications.

This is why diabetes is known as a “silent killer.” It is essential for those with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar levels closely and follow the diet and regimen prescribed by their physician.

Apart from knowing the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of foods we consume, there are several factors to consider before dieting.
The first is the time of meals. Like what you eat, the timing of your meals affects your health. Your body functions best when you eat at regular intervals. It can help with digestion, boost your mood, and maintain a regular supply of energy.
For example, eating breakfast at the same time every day can speed up your metabolism, while eating dinner at the same time every day promotes better sleep. Overeating is also avoided with regular meals.

The circadian rhythm, an internal clock that runs on a 24-hour cycle, regulates a number of bodily processes, including digestion. This clock is kept in sync by eating meals at the same time every day, which improves digestion and nutritional absorption.

When you eat at regular intervals, your body can better predict when to release digestive enzymes and hormones such as insulin. This helps to break down food more effectively and improves digestion overall. Therefore, eating at regular intervals helps your pancreas function better, which in turn helps to manage blood sugar levels and prevent hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, in diabetes individuals.

To benefit from this, a diabetic patient should aim for three main meals along with two or three snacks in between, spaced at regular intervals of at least three hours. Balance your meals with proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Above all, personalized guidance from a physician is a must.