An Overview of the Pathophysiology of Metabolic Changes and Their Sequence of Occurrence in Obese Diabetic Females: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Obesity and diabetes both mediate their effects through insulin resistance and frequently co-exist. Insulin resistance is one of the key factors in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Adult females tend to develop obesity more frequently than males. One of the factors causing this difference is the pattern of changes that occur as females age from pre-menopausal to the post-menopausal stage, causing a change in the pattern of accumulation of fats. Several studies have explored and described the association between obesity and metabolic syndrome and their effect on type II diabetes. We conducted our literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar as our primary databases. We selected a total of 49 articles for review after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and removing the duplicate articles. We chose the full-text articles that were published in the English language only. The selected studies were randomized controlled trials and review papers. The reviewed articles showed that visceral fat, central obesity, and fasting blood sugar of post-menopausal is higher than in pre-menopausal women and needs adequate management. More studies are needed in the future to explore the patterns of the metabolic changes in obese females to provide early and better management of diabetes and prevent related complications.

Update on Management of Cardiovascular Diseases in Women

“…In a study by Chen et al including 2863 postmenopausal women, trunk fat was strongly associated with CV risk despite a normal BMI [ 74 ]. Central obesity is more common in women than men contributing to metabolic syndrome (MS), especially in postmenopausal women [ 75 ] ( Figure 3 ). According to data from the Framingham Heart Study, the excess risk of CVD attributed to obesity after adjustment for waist circumference was 64% in women versus 46% in men [ 73 ].…”

Molecular Mechanisms of Hawthorn Extracts in Multiple Organs Disorders in Underlying of Diabetes: A Review

“…Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) accounts for only 5–10% of those with diabetes [ 3 ]. Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells in T1DM leads to intensive insulin deficiency [ 4 , 5 ]. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common type of DM in adults and accounts for approximately 90–95% of all diabetic individuals worldwide [ 3 ].…”

“…T2DM is manifested by insulin insensitivity because of insulin resistance, attenuating insulin production, and eventually pancreatic beta-cells dysfunction [ 6 ]. Insulin resistance, as the main pathophysiologic factor of T2DM, is manifested by disability of cells in glucose utilization [ 4 , 7 ]. The basis of the metabolic abnormalities in carbohydrate, fat, and protein in diabetes is insufficient action of insulin in various target tissues [ 3 ].…”