Obesity, especially abdominal obesity is tightly associated with risk of diabetes. A term has evolved as diabesity (diabetes + obseity), since type II diabetes is very much obesity (or fatness) dependent.
　　Using Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) to observe the prevalence trend of general obesity (large BMI) and central obesity (defined by large waist circumference) in Taiwan since 1993, we found that the time trend of diabetes prevalence paralleled with that of central obesity more so than with general obesity. In addition, the association of diabetes prevalence with the degree of central obesity was stronger than that with general obesity (NAHSIT 2005-2008). Furthermore, no matter for general obesity or central obesity; the association with fatness is stronger or at lease comparable for hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C, compared with diabetes. This phenomenon indicates that it is worthy to focus on obesity control in managing diabetes. Obesity control benefits on all components of metabolic syndrome.
　　Comparing the characteristics of those with diabesity and those with neither obesity nor diabetes, we noticed that the former tended to be less educated, with lower income, smokers, betel nut chewers, alcohol drinkers and had poor knowledge with regards to calorie and dietary fiber. Research also showed that the diagnosis of diabetes tended to be delayed in the underprivileged. Public health effort shall be directed to tackle health inequality to prevent diabesity.
　　Astrup A, Finer N. Redefining Type 2 diabetes: ‘Diabesity’ or ‘Obesity Dependent Diabetes Mellitus’? obesity reviews (2000) 1, 57–59.