New Delhi, Jun 10: Body fat, considered enemy number one for those suffering from type one diabetes, may actually be good in some cases according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh. Gaining a reasonable amount of weight may be a sign patients are getting enough insulin and appropriately controlling their disease, according to the study.

The study, to be presented at the 68th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in San Francisco, followed 655 patients with type one diabetes for 20 years and found that patients who gained weight over time were less likely to die of the diabetes.

"Although weight gain in adulthood is typically associated with increased mortality, this may not be the case for those with type 1 diabetes," said Trevor Orchard, M.D., professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Ashok Jhingan, Chairman, Delhi Diabetes Research Center (DDRC), however, says that weight gain in type one diabetes after a certain limit can lead to increase in blood pressure level and lipid profile of the patient and further lead to heart related problems.

"If the weight gain is limited and upto a certain level then it may implies blood sugar level is under control but since diabetes is a long term disease a weight gain can lead to major hear related problems," he adds.

The Pittsburgh findings are based on participants in the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study, a long-term prospective study of childhood onset type one diabetes, which began in 1986

Anurag Sharma