Obesity and target organ damage: diabetes.

Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. The increasing incidence of obesity accounts in large part for the emergence of type 2 diabetes. Drug treatment of hyperglycaemia and hypertension lowers the risk of diabetic complications, but many of these treatments, including sulphonylureas, insulin and beta-blockers, are associated with weight gain. There is increasing evidence that obesity may be an independent risk factor for complications in both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. Therapies to lower body weight will undoubtedly have a role in the treatment of diabetes to potentially avert weight gain associated with anti-diabetic therapies, to lower glycaemia, and possibly even to lower the risk of diabetic complications. However, many questions remain to be answered.