Impact of Climate Change on Metabolic Disorders

Metabolic disorders: disease types and interconnections

Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is a group of metabolic disorders of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) and usually resulting from, insufficient production of the hormone insulin (type 1 diabetes), an ineffective response of cells to insulin (type 2 diabetes), or developing high blood glucose level during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common metabolic disorder, and obesity is the most important risk factor for T2D.

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder, that is defined as excessive fat accumulation and presents a risk to health (BMI > 30). Obesity is of high concern because it is the main risk factor for a number of diseases such as CVD, some types of cancers and T2D. Almost 90% of persons suffering from type 2 diabetes are obese. An individual with obesity is approximately 10 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than someone with a moderate body weight. Obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions and continue to progress worldwide. 

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and T2D. These conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. MetS is closely associated with the global epidemic of obesity and T2D.